"Avatar" Sequels Suspended Due to Coronavirus

Director James Cameron has suspended the production on the "Avatar" sequels in New Zealand due to coronavirus.

The movie's producer Jon Landau said in a press statement that they have decided to delay it and to continue working in Los Angeles, and to go there "a little bit later than we’d planned.”

“We’re in the midst of a global crisis and this is not about the film industry. I think everybody needs to do now whatever we can do,” added Landau.

On the other hand, Weta Digital visual effects company will continue to work on the visual effects.

Lightstorm Entertainment, Cameron and Landau’s production company, have been working on four mega-budget for the Avatar sequels.

It was originally scheduled for the second and third sequels of Avatar to finish shooting this spring.

Earlier this year, the release dates for the sequels were announced: Avatar 2 was scheduled for December 17, 2021, Avatar 3 on December 2023, Avatar 4 on December 2025, and Avatar 5 on December 2027.

The first part of Avatar was produced in 2009. It was directed, written, produced, and co-edited by Cameron, and was often referred to as "James Cameron's Avatar" as it was first developed in 1994 when Cameron wrote an 80-page treatment for the movie.

New Zealand had recorded 12 confirmed coronavirus cases, as of Tuesday. The country has taken swift actions to stem the spread of the outbreak, as it required from all new arrivals to the country to be quarantined for 14 days.

It is worth mentioning that, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus a global pandemic as the new virus has rapidly spread to more than 121,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and the United States.

More cases of the virus, which causes respiratory disease Covid-19, continue to emerge, with outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

Italy recorded 368 more deaths from the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, its biggest one day rise, amid growing concern about the ability of its strained health system to cope with the relentless increase in new cases.

Transmission of viruses between humans happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions, such as droplets in a cough. They can also be transmitted by coming into contact with something an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

It is known that older people appear to be more vulnerable to the effects of the emerging virus.