James Cameron is officially moving on from Avatar, at least temporarily. The director announced that his company Lightstorm Entertainment has acquired the rights to The Devils, the latest novel by British author Joe Abercrombie. Published on May 6, The Devils quickly topped the UK’s Sunday Times bestseller list and debuted at number 5 on the New York Times list in the U.S.
Cameron made the announcement on Facebook and will co-write the screenplay with Abercrombie.
What Cameron Says About The Devils
Cameron described the book as “a sharply witty horror adventure” and “a twisted, stylish, alt-universe middle-ages romp.” He praised Abercrombie’s signature dark humor, moral ambiguity, and “rollercoaster” plot.
“This is Joe Abercrombie in absolute peak form,” Cameron said. “The Devils showcases Joe’s jaundiced view of human nature, in all its dark, selfish glory, as told through some decidedly un-human characters. But of course, Joe always teases with the flickers of redemption that make it all worthwhile—and ultimately quite heartwrenching.”
Cameron also singled out Best Served Cold and the Age of Madness trilogy as personal favorites, but said it was The Devils that finally pushed him to make a move.
A Visual, Cinematic Story
Cameron noted that Abercrombie’s writing is naturally suited for adaptation.
“Joe writes very visually, almost in scenes, and with a very cinematic structure,” he said. “I can’t wait to dig into this as I wind down on Avatar: Fire and Ash. It will be a joyful new challenge for me.”
Abercrombie on Working With Cameron
Abercrombie called the partnership a major moment in his career.
“James Cameron has been thrilling audiences, including me, by putting the impossible on film for over four decades,” he said. “No one can balance mind-blowing action and spectacle with gut-wrenching personal stakes and story the way he does. I can’t think of anyone better to bring this weird and wonderful monster of a book to the screen.”
Book description
The official book description for The Devils via Amazon offers:
Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.
Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.
Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it’s a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side.
What’s Next For James Cameron
There’s no timeline yet on when The Devils will head into production, but with Cameron wrapping Avatar: Fire and Ash and diving into co-writing duties, it’s clearly a priority.
Avatar: Fire and Ash gets released on December 19, 2025.
Avatar 4 is due out on December 21, 2029, and the final film, Avatar 5, on December 19, 2031.
