'Titanic' in 3-D Slated for 2012, 'Avatar' Back This Fall

Sure, James Cameron shattered his own box office record when Avatar zoomed by Titanic - it will eventually earn about as much as the big boat movie and The Dark Knight put together, if you want to wrap your mind around that - but there may be more money coming Titanic's way...because Jim Cameron really needs it. It's being reported by USA Today that Titanic will be re-released in 3-D, with Cameron saying he and his team are "targeting spring of 2012 for the release, which is the 100 year anniversary of the sailing of the ship." I'll be interested to see how the conversion process works there, because Avatar was intended to be a 3-D film and Titanic wasn't. It's not quite as big a difference as shooting a movie for color or shooting it for black and white, but it's close. This doesn't mean that Cameron is turning his attention away from Avatar, you know, like he's an Oscar voter or something. In fact, the director says we're getting a re-release of the biggest movie ever later this year. Why does this work for Fox? Because as we mentioned last week, the studio has a very thin slate in the last half of the year. Anything would help. "It's kind of gotten stomped out (of 3-D screens because of Alice in Wonderland)," Cameron tells the nation's newspaper. "The word we're getting back from exhibitors is we probably left a couple of hundred million dollars on the table as a result." I wonder what impact the DVD/Blu-ray release next month will have on a second theatrical run. I really don't know if it's $200 million left for Avatar to take, or how much Titanic could make in 3-D, but he can pretty much make whatever rules he wants at the moment.

Comments

[rount-a-rount]

ooo re-release in theaters? How exciting, I didn't think I'd ever see it again. I was so upset with myself that I didn't go see it a second time, and by the time I got to thinking of it again, it was like 3 days after Alice in bonerland was released. I wasn't happy about that. Nooice

[D]

This is surprising given how vehemently opposed Cameron has been to 3D post production up conversion of 2D films. I mean if anyone can do it right it's Cameron but the previous attempts by others have not been particularly good.

[Rachel]

I saw Avatar 11 times in theaters (all in 3D) but I'm open to see it again, especially if it's an extended cut.

[Visu]

i saw it in 3d and then in 2d (didn't enjoy 2d much). have been wanting to watch in 3d but no place is showing 3d unfortunately. so if it is re-released in 3d then i am gonna see it at least a few times. and i am sure there are many more like me. extended cut would be a bonus.

[J.Bradley]

I saw it three times. Rerelease extended version might be a good occasion for a drive to see it in IMAX, which I DIDN'T see it in.

[Carv]

Is Avatar still getting a 3-D DVD or BluRay release this year? I wonder if the developing state of 3-D home video was a consideration.

[Nelson]

I love Titanic but in 3D it would be stupid. As for Avatar, I don't really care what they do, but I am upset that nowadays every movie that is big feels obligated to be in 3D

[Jason]

I am going to see it a second time in 3D this Friday--a couple theaters in my area are still showing, and I don't want to miss the opportunity! It sounds like 3D home entertainment is going to be a non-starter for now, so Ava-3D will remain a "theater-only" experience. Re-releasing is a very good idea for this visually extraordinary film.