James Cameron Thinks Avatar: The Way Of Water Will Help Fans Remember The Characters' Names

James Cameron's "Avatar" is a blockbuster that made billions of dollars at the worldwide box office during its first go-round in theatres — and millions more during subsequent re-releases. And yet it doesn't seem to have left a large cultural footprint. Online, jokes have circulated about how — in spite of its massive success — the general public cannot recall what the film is about, name a single character in it, or bring to mind one line spoken by anyone appearing onscreen. This is in spite of the fact that one can walk into any Disney Store in the world and purchase "Avatar" tee-shirts or toys for their families.

Naturally, those who spent years of their lives trying to bring the immersive, visually-stunning world of "Avatar" to life (and will continue to do so over the film's upcoming three sequels) are less than pleased by the notion of their movie being made akin to a digital amnesia potion. To shatter this belief, Cameron has a plan that he thinks will make the "Avatar" universe more memorable to the layman, one that will make audiences fall in love with the franchise's characters and recall their names.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the release of "Avatar: The Way of Water," director James Cameron declared that he's aware of the snarky scuttlebutt that's been circulating about the "Avatar" franchise lately. And he thinks people will definitely remember his characters once the film series has settled into franchise mode.

"If people are less likely to remember Jake Sully [portrayed by Sam Worthington, and the film series' protagonist] than, say, Luke Skywalker, that's partly because 'Avatar' is only one movie into its mythology," Cameron said. In his mind, the key to building up the film's cultural cachet seems to be continuously hitting the market every three years to breed familiarity between the audience and the franchise. "That's just how the industry works. You come back to the well, and you build that cultural impact over time." Cameron proceeded to compare the "Avatar" world with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, saying that having a large number of releases and characters who move between various installments of their films and shows has helped build up brand loyalty between consumers and the studio. He concluded by dismissing the franchise's naysayers but admitting that much rides upon the first sequel. "It's an irrelevant argument. We'll see what happens after this film."

Since it will take a lot of cash for "Avatar: The Way of Water" to break even at the box office, even a bold director like Cameron is playing his cards close to his vest when it comes to the topic of cultural permanence.