James Cameron's career has been substantially shaped by his twenty-year commitment to the Avatar franchise, though he is now exploring ways to lower production budgets for future instalments given that recent sequels each cost approximately $400 million. Whilst he has considered pivoting to smaller dramatic work, his immediate plans involve continuing the blockbuster sci-fi series while seeking financial efficiencies.

Beyond Avatar, Cameron has transferred several franchise responsibilities to other filmmakers, with the Terminator series experiencing sustained commercial struggles under new leadership. A passion project Cameron conceived but handed to Robert Rodriguez in 2019 initially received mixed critical reviews and moderate box office returns, yet has since attracted a committed fanbase. The film achieved over $400 million globally against its $200 million production budget, reaching theatrical break-even and likely profitability when ancillary revenues are included, prompting renewed industry interest in developing a sequel.