Cameron Talks about TITANIC 3D Plans and AVATAR Extended Cut Re-release

We know James Cameron has been working on a re-release of Titanic in 3D, but until today we didn't know that Avatar might end up getting an extended cut of the film that will also get a theatrical release. In a recent interview with USA Today Cameron threw out a few cool new bits of information about these projects, and the process of 3D.

Fox plans to release Titanic in 3D in the spring of 2012 which will coincide with the 100 year anniversary of the sailing of the ship.

The release of Avatar on 3D blu-ray in Fall of 2010 might end up being pushed back because he wants to re-release an extended cut of Avatar in theaters.

We're not officially announcing it right now but I'm hoping for fall. The wildcard is that we might be re-releasing the movie this fall.  It's kind of gotten stomped out (in theaters) because of Alice in Wonderland. The word we're getting back from exhibitors is we probably left a couple of hundred million dollars on the table as a result. The question is the appetite still going to be there after the summer glut of movies. We're going to assess that. We're talking about maybe adding in additional footage and doing something creative.

Cameron then goes on to once again talk about the 3D process and the difference between the films actually shot in 3D and the films that are having the conversion process done and how they are inferior 3D movies. 

It's never going to be as good as if you shot it in 3D, but think of it as sort of 2.8D. They're converting Clash of the Titans in eight weeks. But I'm guessing six months to a year to do it right.

You know, everybody is an overnight expert. They think, "what was the takeaway lessons from Avatar? Oh you should make more money with 3D." They ignore the fact that we natively authored the film in 3D, and decide that what we accomplished in several years of production could be done in an eight week (post-production 3D) conversion with Clash of the Titans.

If people put bad 3D in the marketplace they're going to hold back or even threaten the emerging of 3D. People will be confused by differences in quality. The (consumer electronics) companies need to do the same thing. They need to say, "if were going to associate ourselves with certain kinds of content, that content has to not make our (3D televisions) look bad."  Because the audience doesn't know the difference -- when they put on the glasses on, they don't know if the problem is in the glasses, the TV or the actual way in which the stereo space is managed by the producers of the film.

At the same time, Cameron is not against the 3D conversion process if done right.

If it's done well.  I think it should be driven by the artist. If Star Wars gets converted into 3D I think George (Lucas) should do it. If Terminator gets converted into 3D, I should do it.

I'm very curious to see what this Avatar extended edition will be like and also what Titanic will look like converted into 3D. What are your thoughts on what Cameron had to say?