Avatar fans eagerly awaiting the sequel of the mega-hit movie are having their patience tested as its release date gets pushed out again.

Avatar 2 was originally scheduled to come out in 2014, but plans changed when director James Cameron decided instead to produce not one, not two, but four sequels back-to-back.

The first sequel was pushed back to Christmas 2017 and then Christmas 2018.

REUTERS Director James Cameron is making four sequels to his 2009 hit Avatar.

"Well, 2018 is not happening," Cameron told the Toronto Star. "We haven't announced a firm release date. What people have to understand is that this is a cadence of releases."



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While Cameron wouldn't say when the first sequel would hit theatres, he did say the four movies would take him eight years to complete.

"We're full tilt boogie right now," Cameron said. "We're pretty well designed on all our creatures and sets. It's pretty exciting stuff."

Avatar fans holding their breath for the next instalment could turn as blue as their movie heroes Neytiri and Jake.

The original Avatar, released in 2009, remains the all-time box office champion with a worldwide gross of nearly NZ$4 billion.

Cameron has been busy promoting the new Avatar-based land at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom is a $500 million attraction that allows park goers to immerse themselves among the Na'vi on their blue planet of Pandora.

Cameron, who lives in the Wairarapa, will make the four planned Avatar movie in New Zealand.



