Avatar's James Cameron says 3D renaissance has arrived

"Avatar" director James Cameron said Thursday that 3D technology is here to stay - and he is excited to be a part of it.

"I've been talking about a 3D renaissance for years but now it's finally really happening," said the man whose 3D science-fiction classic grossed 2.8 billion dollars in ticket sales.

"No one can deny its power in the theatrical marketplace," Cameron told the Seoul Digital Forum in a keynote speech, saying the new format would dominate the movie marketplace in the next few years.

"The audience has spoken, overwhelmingly," he said. Globally, the split between the number of 2D and 3D screens for "Avatar" was 60/40 but the 3D screens generated 80 percent of its revenue.

Cameron also directed "Titanic," the second-highest grossing movie worldwide after "Avatar."

3D, he said, made viewers feel more present than conventional 2D cinema, increasing the emotional impact of the drama.

For 3D television, lack of content was the biggest hurdle to its rapid adoption, he said. The thousands of hours of content which would be needed "will require a revolution in the way TV is produced."

Technically, the next step was autostereoscopic displays which could be seen on multi-viewer TVs without having to wear special glasses - "within five years," Cameron said.

However, he cautioned that those offering 3D had to make it a priority to deliver high-quality material because "bad experiences will make audiences feel ripped off and wary."

Although the release date for the sequel to "Avatar" has not been announced, Cameron said he wanted to explore the ocean and sea world of Pandora, the movie's extraterrestrial setting, and how the Na'vi people adapt to the ocean.

"The first movie was about creating new technologies. The second film will be about using the same technology and doing a more efficient, quicker, cheaper and more imaginative movie," he said.