Source – WELLINGTON, New Zealand — James Cameron says his vision for his three “Avatar” sequels is to create a family epic in the mold of “The Godfather” that will introduce viewers to new cultures and go underwater on his fictional moon Pandora.

The director announced Monday he will be filming the sequels in New Zealand, where he shot the triple Academy Award-winning original. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cameron also talked about life on a New Zealand farm, where he’s growing walnuts and allowing his children to roam.

Cameron, 59, said he plans to release the first sequel in 2016, seven years after the release of “Avatar,” which has become the highest-grossing film in history with a box office take of nearly $2.8 billion.

He said a core team has been developing new software for the sequels even while he’s been gone on other projects, including 18 months planning a 7-mile descent to the deepest part of the ocean, which he successfully completed last year.

“It’s going to be a lot of new imagery and a lot of new environments and creatures across Pandora,” he said. “We’re blowing it out all over the place. At first I thought I was going to take it onto other worlds as well, in the same solar system, but it turned out not to be necessary. I mean the Pandora that we have imagined will be a fantasy land that is going to occupy people for decades to come, the way I see it.”

Cameron said the films will explore different Na’vi cultures as well the cultures of other Pandora creatures.

This is the worst news ever. James Cameron should’ve quit after True Lies and Titanic. Both instant classics. Then he could’ve retired to his farm in New Zealand where he grows walnuts and lets his kids roam. Whatever the hell that means. I mean do we really need three more three hour films about a fake underwater universe that just so happens to named after a fantastic music app? Also, let’s stop with The Godfather reference right now. Avatar is not The Godfather. Nothing is the Godfather. The Godfather is the godfather of trilogies. I saw Avatar in theatres and while it was good, and unique, I can’t imagine sitting through three more movies. Especially since it’s clear that James Cameron is slowly starting to lose his mind. I think it’s best if he dives down miles into the ocean and sets up shop there. Live out the rest of his days as an underwater walnut farmer and spare us 9 hours of our lives that we will never get back.

– Ryan