James Cameron Sought To Avoid “The ‘Stranger Things’ Effect” in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
Variety recently shared an interesting tidbit about a popular sequel. James Cameron sought to avoid “the Stranger Things effect” in Avatar: The Way of Water!
If you’ve been following along with MickeyBlog, you’re already aware that Cameron has a few more Avatar sequels up his sleeve. Along with Avatar: The Way of Water, the director filmed Avatar 3 and some of Avatar 4 at the same time.
He did this for a reason that may surprise you. Cameron wanted to avoid what he’s dubbed, “the Stranger Things effect.”
The Stranger Things Effect
So, what is the director actually referencing here? In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he spills the beans.
Avatar 2 introduces several young characters. Included are Tuk played by Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, and Spider played by Jack Champion.
Because the actors were undergoing growth spurts during casting, Cameron had to think ahead. In an effort to maintain a realistic appearance, he opted to film multiple movies at once.
Child actors end up growing so quickly during projects, they stop looking like kids! Cameron explains what happens if you don’t plan ahead, “Otherwise, you get — and I love Stranger Things — but you get the Stranger Things effect where they’re supposed to still be in high school [but] they look like they’re 27.”
He goes on to say, “You know, I love the show. It’s okay, we’ll suspend disbelief. We like the characters, but, you know.”
Avatar: The Way of Water
Cameron actually waited to start filming his latest Avatar movie until scripts for sequels 2, 3, 4, and 5 were complete. This model coincides with Peter Jackson’s in his The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Previously, we reported that Cameron was waiting to see how audiences respond to Avatar 2, before deciding if he’ll release any more films. According to Variety, Avatar 3 now has a scheduled premiere date of December 20, 2024.
Looks like audiences are still interested in the sci-fi fantasy that stole hearts 13 years ago. James Cameron has things down to a science, as he seeks to avoid “the Stranger Things effect” in Avatar: The Way of Water!