James Cameron says Marvel and DC characters "all act like they're in college"

James Cameron has joined filmmakers like Martin Scorcese and Francis Ford Coppola in criticizing superhero movies – the Avatar director has condemned comic book adaptations for their lack of character depth and not having real relationships.

"When I look at these big, spectacular films – I’m looking at you, Marvel and DC – it doesn’t matter how old the characters are, they all act like they’re in college," Cameron said in a recent interview with The New York Times.

"They have relationships, but they really don’t. They never hang up their spurs because of their kids. The things that really ground us and give us power, love, and a purpose? Those characters don’t experience it, and I think that’s not the way to make movies."

Cameron's next movie, Avatar 2 (officially titled Avatar: The Way of Water) focuses on just that – family. Several years have elapsed since the first movie, which was released back in 2009, and former marine Jake (Sam Worthington) and Na'vi princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are now parents.

The sequel is also set to explore the underwater world of the Na'vi planet Pandora, with actors like Sigourney Weaver – who's playing Jake and Neytiri's adopted teenage daughter – holding their breath for up to six minutes. The movie's cast also includes Stephen Lang, Michelle Yeoh, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, and Jemaine Clement. While this sequel is set to release later this year, there are three more Avatar movies in the works, too.

Avatar: The Way of Water arrives in theaters on December 16. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other major upcoming movies hitting the big screen in 2022 and beyond.

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.