James Cameron, 'Avatar 2' Director, Says 3D in 'Man of Steel' & 'Iron Man 3' was Unnecessary [VIDEO]
Director James Cameron recently revealed his distaste for the 3D used in many modern box office hits, including Man of Steel and Iron Man 3.
"I do not think Hollywood is using 3D properly," Cameron said last week at TagDF, a technology forum. "The reason I say that Hollywood is not doing well is because it is automatic."
Cameron used 3D technology in his 2009 film Avatar, which became the highest-grossing film of all time in the U.S. and worldwide. The film was shot using 3D-capable cameras.
"[It's] one thing [to shoot] in 3D and another to convert to 3D," he said of the latest blockbusters.
The director added that inflated 3D ticket prices are a way for studios "to make money," which makes them "push 3D to directors who are not comfortable or do not like 3D." Cameron suggested that production budgets are so high for modern blockbusters that 3D may not even be necessary.
"Man of Steel, Iron Man 3 and all those movies should not necessarily be in 3D," he said. "If you spend $150 million on visual effects, the film is already going to be spectacular, perfect."
Both Man of Steel and Iron Man 3 were converted to 3D in post-production, meaning they weren't filmed with 3D-capable technology. Shooting in 3D results in higher ticket prices and coupled with the 2D showings, both films have been financially successful at the box office.
While Cameron is hard at work on the next two Avatar sequels, he also contributed to a bold new film coming out in October called Gravity. The 3D film - directed by Alfonso Cuaron, and starring Geroge Clooney and Sandra Bullock - allegedly uses technology that's "five years in the future," according to Cameron. The film comes out on Oct. 4.
Avatar 2 is scheduled for theatrical release in 2015 while Avatar 3 does not have scheduled release date.
Watch a behind-the-scenes look at the 3D technology used in Avatar:
