In the wake of the breathtaking Avatar: The Way of Water soaring past the $2 billion global gross mark, the James Cameron-directed epic scored a best picture nomination, along with noms for production design, sound and visual effects.
The snub of Cameron’s monumental achievement in the best director category continues the franchise’s complex relationship with Oscar.
Cameron surely breathed a sigh of relief when the film performed as robustly as he hoped it would, clearing the way for three or four sequels as Avatar is set up for the next few years to establish itself as a massive franchise on the order of Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings.
Many felt that it was perhaps the biggest bet — the bulk of the sequels were shot at once — since LOTR, when New Line chief Bob Shaye rolled the dice and empowered director Peter Jackson to shoot all three installments in one massive shoot in New Zealand.
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