James Cameron will make three 'Avatar' sequels.

The 'Titanic' director - who has brought in screenwriters Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver - will shoot the three movies simultaneously starting next year and 20th Century Fox will begin releasing them in 2016.

He said in a statement: ''Building upon the world we created with 'Avatar' has been a rare and incredibly rewarding experience. In writing the new films, I've come to realise that 'Avatar's' world, story and characters have become even richer than I anticipated, and it became apparent that two films would not be enough to capture everything I wanted to put on screen. And to help me continue to expand this universe, I'm pleased to bring aboard Amanda, Rick, Shane and Josh - all writers I've long admired - to join me in completing the films' screenplays.''

20th Century Fox chairman and CEO Jim Gianopoulos called the 'Avatar' sequels, the studio's highest priority.

He said: ''We at the studio have no higher priority, and can feel no greater joy, than enabling Jim to continue and expand his vision of the world of 'Avatar'. The growing breadth and scale of Jim Cameron's plans for his magnificent fantasy worlds continue to amaze us all.''