The Conjuring director James Wan open to directing Avatar 4 if James Cameron steps aside

Filmmaker James Wan has added fresh fuel to speculation around the future of the Avatar franchise by saying he would be open to directing Avatar 4 if creator James Cameron decides to step back or reduce his direct involvement in the billion-dollar series.

Speaking in an interview, the Aquaman director made it clear that the idea excites him. Referring to the possibility of working on the franchise, Wan said, “ I’d love to take a crack at that ,” signalling his enthusiasm to step into the world of Pandora should the opportunity arise.

While Disney and Cameron have not officially announced Avatar 4, talk about the next phase of the saga has intensified following the strong box office run of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron has previously indicated that although he may consider delegating certain responsibilities in the future, he has not ruled out directing the upcoming films himself.

Addressing questions about Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, Cameron struck a confident tone about his ability to continue. “I’m healthy, I’m good to go ,” he said, adding that if circumstances allow, “ If I can, I’ll just do it .” The comments suggest that Cameron remains fully prepared to stay at the helm of the franchise he created, even as he explores more flexible ways of working.

James Wan’s career makes him a prominent name whenever major franchises are discussed. He is widely known for launching and shaping successful horror series such as Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring , before making a major leap into blockbuster filmmaking with Aquaman in 2018. The film earned over USD 1.15 billion worldwide, firmly establishing Wan as a director capable of handling large-scale spectacles. Alongside directing, he has also built a strong reputation as a producer, with recent projects including M3GAN.

Cameron has also spoken about evolving his approach behind the camera. While working on Fire and Ash, he expanded the role of second unit directors and virtual production teams, allowing him to step back from some of the physically demanding technical work after setting the creative framework. He has suggested that this model could be extended further if future Avatar films go into production.