Filmmaker James Cameron faced considerable pushback from the studio when he opted to expand the number of "Avatar" sequels from an initial three films to four, ultimately leading to a five-movie franchise. Following the unprecedented success of the original "Avatar" in 2009, which remains the highest-grossing film in history with $2.9 billion worldwide (unadjusted for inflation), Cameron had initially convened a writer's room to develop three continuations of the story.

However, the plan evolved when Cameron decided to split what was originally conceived as the script for "Avatar: The Way of Water" into two separate films: "The Way of Water" and a new third installment titled "Fire and Ash." This decision meant that the previously planned third "Avatar" movie would now become the fourth, increasing the total number of films in the saga to five. Despite studio resistance, Cameron defended his decision by highlighting the franchise's proven financial success, questioning, "What part of you getting another chance to make $2 billion is in question here?"

Cameron's confidence was validated by the performance of 2022's "The Way of Water," which went on to gross an impressive $2.3 billion, securing its place as the third highest-grossing film in history. The upcoming "Avatar: Fire and Ash," set to open in theaters on December 19, now carries the expectation of also crossing the $2 billion mark at the global box office.

The future of the later sequels, "Avatar 4" and "Avatar 5," is contingent on the success of "Fire and Ash." Cameron has already filmed some footage for "Avatar 4," but further production will depend on the audience reception and financial performance of the third film. Interestingly, Cameron revealed that the script for "Avatar 4" was the first "Avatar" sequel to receive no notes from studio executives, a testament to its unique and compelling narrative. He recounted that while "The Way of Water" received three pages of notes and the third film received one page, the executive's feedback for "Avatar 4" was simply, "Holy fuck," indicating its extraordinary quality and direction.