James Cameron reveals ONE thing that guarantees an 'Avatar' movie's success

James Cameron has pretty high standards for his Avatar movies to consider them a success.

In an interview at Disney's D23 fan event in Anaheim, California, on Friday, Aug. 9, Cameron revealed what he requires of an Avatar movie.

"If I can't cry in the movie, I know I've failed seriously, and if I don't, there's something wrong. It has to be fixed," he confessed to People.

He went on to note that "the hardest part of the job is to live with every image every day and its [new] detail, but still be able to feel how the movie [affects] you as an audience member."

He shared that he "had that crisis of faith on Avatar 3 at one point in an early cut," and it made him think, " 'We're not there.' "

Only after they "did some additional work," did he find it satisfying.

"It's banging now. Absolutely interesting,” said the three-time Oscar winner.

At the Disney event, Cameron unveiled Avatar 3, which is named Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The third installment in the franchise will follow Avatar: The Way of Water, which came out in 2022. Meanwhile, the first blockbuster named Avatar came out in 2009.