James Cameron, the blockbuster filmmaker behind Titanic and Avatar, is diving into a dark fantasy adventure for his next project. On June 2, 2025, Cameron announced on social media that his production company, Lightstorm Entertainment, has snagged the rights to The Devils, a new novel by bestselling author Joe Abercrombie. Cameron plans to co-write the screenplay with Abercrombie once he’s done with Avatar: Fire and Ash, set for release on December 19, 2025. “I can’t wait to dig into this as I wind down on Avatar,” Cameron announced via Facebook. “It’s a joyful new challenge to bring these indelible characters to life.”
The Devils, published on May 6, 2025, rocketed to No. 1 on the UK’s Sunday Times bestseller list and hit No. 5 on the New York Times list. Set in an alternate medieval Europe, the novel follows Brother Diaz, a priest expecting a holy mission, only to be tasked with leading a ragtag crew of murderers, magicians, and monsters to fend off flesh-eating elves. Cameron called it “a sharply witty horror adventure” and “a twisted, alt-universe middle-ages romp” packed with Abercrombie’s signature dark humor and moral ambiguity. “The twists and turns come at a rollercoaster pace,” he said, praising its “cinematic structure” that makes it ripe for adaptation.
Cameron’s been a fan of Abercrombie’s work for years, citing Best Served Cold and the Age of Madness trilogy as favorites. “The freshness of the world and characters in The Devils finally got me off my butt to buy one of his books and partner with him,” he shared. Abercrombie, no stranger to screenwriting with credits on Love, Death & Robots and Borderlands (as Joe Crombie), is equally thrilled. “James Cameron has been thrilling audiences, including me, for over four decades,” he said. “No one balances mind-blowing action with gut-wrenching stakes like he does.”
The Avatar saga has kept Cameron busy for decades, with Fire and Ash—the third installment—introducing new Na’vi clans and a darker narrative, hitting theaters in December. With Avatar 4 slated for 2029 and Avatar 5 for 2031, The Devils offers Cameron a chance to step away from Pandora briefly. He’s also developing Ghosts of Hiroshima, based on Charles Pellegrino’s book, but The Devils seems to be his immediate focus post-Avatar 3. While Cameron’s confirmed to co-write the script, it’s unclear if he’ll direct or hand the reins to someone else, as he did with Alita: Battle Angel.
Fans are buzzing about the pairing. Posts on social media platforms hailed the news, with one user calling it “a match made in gritty fantasy heaven.” The Devils’ blend of monsters, dark magic, and morally gray characters feels like a perfect fit for Cameron’s knack for spectacle and emotional depth, seen in films like Terminator 2 and Avatar: The Way of Water. Some fans worry about Cameron juggling multiple projects, pointing to Ghosts of Hiroshima and the remaining Avatar films, but others trust his track record. “If anyone can pull off a wild fantasy epic, it’s Cameron,” one fan posted.
Abercrombie’s work is no stranger to adaptations—Best Served Cold is in pre-production with Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Miller—but The Devils marks his biggest swing yet. The novel’s visual style, described by Cameron as “almost written in scenes,” could translate into a visceral, action-packed film. There’s no timeline for production yet, but with Cameron wrapping Fire and Ash, the scriptwriting process is likely to kick off soon. Whether it’s a bloody, elf-slaying romp or a heart-wrenching tale of redemption, The Devils has fans and filmmakers alike eager to see Cameron’s take on Abercrombie’s twisted world.
Source: Facebook