Everyone thinks they know the drill with James Cameron. You wait a decade, he releases a movie with blue aliens that breaks every box office record in existence, and then he disappears back into a submarine.
But things are changing.
If you're looking for the James Cameron next movie, the answer isn't as simple as just "Avatar 4." While the world is still processing the fallout from Avatar: Fire and Ash, which just hit theaters in December 2025, the director's 2026 and 2027 slate is actually weirder than anyone expected.
He's not just staying on Pandora.
The Shocking 2026 Pivot: Billie Eilish in 3D
Honestly, nobody saw this coming. Most fans assumed Cameron would be locked in a dark room editing Pandoran flora for the next three years. Instead, his very next project hitting screens is Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D).
It’s slated for March 20, 2026.
Yes, the man who gave us the Terminator is co-directing a concert film. It’s his first non-Avatar narrative or documentary project since Titanic in 1997. Why would he do this? Basically, Cameron is the undisputed king of 3D technology. He and Eilish apparently hit it off, and he wanted to use his proprietary camera tech to "capture the energy" of her global tour in a way that feels immersive. It’s a 3D spectacle, but with pop music instead of Na'vi banshees.
What’s Really Happening With Last Train From Hiroshima
For years, the "white whale" of Cameron’s career has been Last Train From Hiroshima. This is the project people keep getting wrong. They think it’s cancelled. It isn't.
It’s just complicated.
The movie is based on Charles Pellegrino’s books, Last Train From Hiroshima and the newly released Ghosts of Hiroshima. It tells the harrowing true story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, the man who survived the atomic blast in Hiroshima, hopped on a train to Nagasaki, and then survived the second bomb.
Cameron met Yamaguchi right before the survivor passed away. He promised the man he’d tell this story. In late 2025, Cameron called it an "uncompromising theatrical film." He’s been vocal about wanting to show the raw reality of nuclear weapons without the "political fluff."
But here is the catch: he hasn't even finished the script.
During a podcast appearance on The Town in late 2025, he admitted it’s currently "vaporware." He doesn't have a studio partner yet. He doesn't have a cast. He’s got "ten other projects" ahead of it. While he wants it to be his next big dramatic feature, the production schedule for the remaining Avatar sequels is a massive roadblock.
The Avatar 4 "Time Jump" Problem
The James Cameron next movie conversation always circles back to the sequels. Avatar 4 is officially on the calendar for December 21, 2029.
That feels like a lifetime away.
But there’s a reason for the gap. Cameron already shot about one-third of Avatar 4. He had to. The kid actors—like Jack Champion (Spider) and Trinity Bliss (Tuk)—were growing up too fast. He filmed their younger scenes years ago to "freeze" them in time.
The rest of the movie involves a six-year time jump.
He’s waiting for the actors to age naturally before he shoots the "B-side" of that story. Production for the rest of Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 (scheduled for 2031) is expected to ramp up in New Zealand throughout 2026. This is where he spends most of his "work hours," even if he’s popping out to direct concert films or write fantasy novels.
A New Contender: The Devils
Wait, what?
In mid-2025, Cameron dropped a bombshell on Facebook. He bought the rights to Joe Abercrombie’s gritty fantasy novel The Devils. He’s co-writing it with Abercrombie.
It's a "twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp." Think criminals and outcasts on a suicide mission against monsters.
He’s called the book "undeniable." There’s a very real chance he directs this before he gets deep into the 2029 Avatar sequel. It’s a smaller, punchier project that could serve as a creative "palate cleanser."
Why the Delay Matters
You’ve got to understand how Cameron works. He doesn't "make" movies; he builds technologies that allow the movies to exist.
If he’s not satisfied with the way fire looks in Fire and Ash, or how the Earth looks in the planned Avatar 5 (where the Na'vi supposedly visit our dying planet), he will wait. He will sit in a lab for three years until the tech catches up to his brain.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Special Forces World's Toughest Test Cast Is Actually Terrifying to Watch
Current Project Timeline (As of Early 2026):
- March 2026: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (Co-Director)
- 2026-2027: Active production on Avatar 4 (The "Older" cast segments)
- TBA: The Devils (In development/Co-writing)
- December 2029: Avatar 4 (Release)
- Post-2031: Last Train From Hiroshima (Earliest possible window)
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're trying to keep up with the James Cameron next movie news, don't just look at the IMDb release dates. They move. A lot.
- Watch the Tech: Cameron usually debuts new camera tech or HFR (High Frame Rate) updates in smaller projects before the big sequels. The Billie Eilish 3D film will likely be a "test kitchen" for the visual depth he wants in Avatar 4.
- Follow the Authors: If you want to know what’s happening with The Devils or Hiroshima, follow Joe Abercrombie and Charles Pellegrino. Cameron works closely with his source material authors; they usually leak progress updates long before the studios do.
- The Earth Connection: Expect Avatar 4 and 5 to shift focus. We've seen the forest and the ocean. The "Ash People" (Mangkwan clan) in the current film are just the start of the "darker" Na'vi arc. The ultimate destination is Earth, which Cameron has hinted will be a "dying world" that mirrors our own environmental anxieties.
The bottom line? James Cameron isn't just a director anymore. He's a one-man industry. Whether it’s a 3D concert or a nuclear epic, he only moves when the story—and the tech—is ready.
Keep an eye on the 2026 3D concert film. It might just be the most "James Cameron" thing he's done in years.