James Cameron is planning to take our sci-fi knowledge to the next level, with a new documentary series charting the history of our favorite genre.
It’s hard to imagine a time when sci-fi was more popular than it is today, especially at the box office. Not since the 70’s and 80’s, when the likes of Spielberg, Lucas, and Scott were lighting up our screens has there been so much fascination with the genre. But with so many new fans flooding to it, it could be easy for sci-fi’s history to be forgotten.
‘James Cameron’s Story of Science Fiction’, as the documentary has been tentatively titled, will aim to enlighten us all on sci-fi’s historical importance, as well as its growing relevance in modern day society. In an announcement by AMC, Cameron explained his attachment and fascination with science fiction through the ages.
“When I was a kid, I basically read any book with a spaceship on the cover and I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey many, many times,” said Cameron. “The movie inspired me to become a filmmaker. I liked the special effects, but I really loved the ideas and the questions behind them: How will the world end? Will technology destroy us? What does it mean to be human?
These are subjects sci-fi has never been afraid to tackle. With this series, we are going back to the origins of sci-fi, following the DNA of these ideas back to the source. Without Jules Verne and H.G. Wells there wouldn’t have been Ray Bradbury or Robert A. Heinlein, and without them, there wouldn’t be Lucas, Spielberg, Ridley Scott or me. As a filmmaker who specializes in science fiction, I’m interested in exploring the struggles and the triumphs that brought these incredible stories to life and seeing how art imitates life, as well as how science fiction imitates and sometimes informs science.”
With movies like The Terminator, Aliens, and Avatar, James Cameron more than played his part in beefing up the genre’s popularity. Cameron’s work means that he’s well-placed to inform fans, both new and old, of the genre’s history. The director is also a passionate science advocate, so we can expect that there will be a healthy dose of commentary on the state of the world as it is today.
James Cameron’s docus-series will consist of six one-hour episodes and is expected to land on our screens in 2018.
