James Cameron Floats the Wildest Idea Yet at the Avatar 3 Press Conference

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A SpaceX comment at a London event leaves journalists, actors, and studio reps stunned

The European Gala Press Conference for Avatar: Fire and Ash took place on Thursday, December 11, 2025, inside the Ballroom at The Claridge’s Hotel in London. The room was packed with more than 200 international journalists, all gathered after weeks of nonstop press events.

The mood felt calm but tired. The cast had been on the road for nearly three weeks, and it showed. A massive screen behind the stage played sweeping visuals of the new Fire Na’vi landscapes, setting the tone for what lies ahead in the Avatar universe.

James Cameron sat at the center of the panel, flanked by Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver. While the actors looked jet lagged, Cameron looked anything but. At 71, he appeared intense, alert, and fully charged.

That energy came into focus when a reporter from Empire Magazine stood up to ask a question. Known for technical deep dives, the journalist referenced reports that Avatar 3 cost close to $400 million to produce due to complex visual effects. He then asked how Cameron planned to top fire visually in future films without pushing budgets even higher.

Cameron did not wait for the question to finish.

“We aren’t bankrupting anyone if the box office hits two billion, right? But to answer you, I’m tired of the green screens. I’m tired of faking physics. I’ve actually been in talks with SpaceX. We ran the numbers, and shooting the zero-G scenes on location in orbit might actually be cheaper than CGI at this point. Plus, I want the fear in the actors’ eyes to be real. You can’t direct that kind of terror in a studio in Burbank.”

The room reacted with nervous laughter. Cameron did not smile. He leaned in and continued.

“I’m serious. I went to the bottom of the ocean alone because a swimming pool wasn’t good enough. Why is orbit any different? It’s just a location scout with a higher insurance premium.”

As he spoke about real fear, Zoe Saldaña slowly sank lower into her chair. She jokingly mouthed “Help me” toward Sam Worthington, who tried not to laugh. Off to the side of the stage, Disney and 20th Century Studios publicists looked visibly shaken. Several journalists later tweeted that the mention of SpaceX’s liability caused instant panic among studio reps.

The reason Cameron’s comments spread so fast is simple. His history makes people believe him. He helped design the cameras used to film the Titanic wreck. He solo-piloted a sub to the Mariana Trench in 2012. He waited thirteen years to release Avatar 2 because the water technology was not ready.

There is also the timing. In late 2025, SpaceX’s Starship program will be running regular orbital tests. The idea of sending a small film crew into orbit now sits in a strange space between bold and possible.

By the end of the event, no one was talking about release dates or box office numbers. The conversation had shifted to one question. Did James Cameron just casually pitch filming Avatar in space, and did he mean every word of it?