James Cameronsays thatGhosts of Hiroshimais his most challenging project yet. Themovie set during World War 2will tell the story of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from a Japanese perspective. It is based on thebook by Charles R. Pellegrino, which was published this week on Aug. 5.
Cameron announced the development of the film in September 2024. This will reportedly be his next movie after wrapping upAvatar 5, the final planned installment in his record-breakingAvatarseries. Cameron is also at work on an adaptation of the Joe Abercrombie novelThe Devils.
ViaDiscussing Film, Cameron spoke about the process of makingGhosts of Hiroshima. According to the acclaimed director,this “might be the most challenging film” of his career.He even went on to say that he “might not even be up to the task.” This challenge came from the intensity of the story.
As for the filming process itself,Cameron said that he is “going to shoot it in 3D.“With all these factors, the director is “actually afraid of this movie in a way.” Check out the full quote from Cameron below:
This might be the most challenging film I ever make. I don’t 100% have my strategy fully in place [right now] for how I want to see it, for how I want to shield people from the horror, but still be honest. Also, for how I can find some kind of poetry, beauty, or spiritual epiphany in itsomehow, which I know must be there. It’s there in every human story. So, it’s going to be very challenging. I might not even be up to the task, but that never stopped me before. […]
I want to show you what it was like. You’re just there. You’re a witness to history, you’re a witness to what really happened, and we can do that. I’m going to shoot it in 3D, if need be. I’m going to make it as real for you as I can. You know, I don’t know where it’s going to take me. I am actually afraid of this movie in a way. You live within a movie for a period of time.Avataris great. I get to live on this fantasy planet with all these amazing creatures and so on. However, there are times when you feel compelled to say something else as an artist.
What Ghosts Of Hiroshima Means For James Cameron
This is not the first time that Cameron has defined what it means to “feel compelled to say something else as an artist.” WhenCameron originally announced production on the film, he spoke about how he had wanted to produce a film on the subject for years. He noted thathe “can’t turn away from it.”
More recently, Cameron said toDeadlinehowGhosts of Hiroshimawould differ fromOppenheimer. In contrast to what he wanted to accomplish with his World War II film, he felt that the Oscar-winning Christopher Nolan movie was “a bit of a moral cop out.” He said: “I don’t know whether the studio or Chris felt that that was a third rail that they didn’t want to touch, but I want to go straight at the third rail.”
Through these interviews, it is clear thatCameron seesGhosts of Hiroshimaas a moral endeavor as much as a filmmaking one. He feels a sense of obligation to tell this story in a way it has not been done before. The director has a massive platform, which will also bring more attention to this film.
Our Take On The Ghosts Of Hiroshima Update
While Cameron’s motivation is compelling, I’m also intrigued by the fact that he will shoot this movie in 3D. By using this stylized format,Cameron will venture into the territory that Nolan did withDunkirkor that Sam Mendes did with1917.That is,Ghosts of Hiroshimacould be a war movie that is also a cinematic spectacle.
If done effectively, however,Ghosts of Hiroshimacould be the most viscerally stirring film yet. IfJames Cameroneffectively portrays the real-life horror stories of bombing survivors,the 3D visuals could immerse the audience in a way that is emotionally upsetting yet vitalto their understanding of events.
