James Cameron to direct film on Hiroshima survivor after 'Avatar'
What's the story
Acclaimed filmmaker James Cameron is set to direct a film based on Charles Pellegrino's books Ghosts of Hiroshima and Last Train From Hiroshima.
This project is exciting as it will be Cameron's first non-Avatar movie since the Academy Award-winning Titanic in 1997.
The film, titled Last Train From Hiroshima, will be developed as long as the production of the Avatar series allows, says Cameron.
Film details
Cameron described film as 'uncompromising theatrical film'
Per reports, Cameron has acquired the rights to the yet-to-be-published book Ghosts of Hiroshima, which is set for release in August 2025.
August, next year, marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb being dropped in 1945.
He has also committed to making a film based on it and Pellegrino's 2010 novel Last Train From Hiroshima.
The filmmaker has described his adaptation of the two books as an "uncompromising theatrical film."
Film synopsis
Film to focus on true story of Hiroshima-Nagasaki survivor
The upcoming film, which will be titled as book, Last Train From Hiroshima will center around the true story of a man who survived both atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
The narrative is said to be based on the experiences of other survivors and will explore the impact of the bombings on those who witnessed them.
Personal connection
Cameron shares personal encounter with Hiroshima-Nagasaki survivor
Cameron revealed that he had met Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, just days before his death.
"He was in the hospital. He was handing the baton of his personal story to us, so I have to do it. I can't turn away from it," Cameron said.
Cameron and Pellegrino vowed to "pass on his unique and harrowing experience to future generations."
Past controversy
Cameron's previous attempt to adapt 'Last Train from Hiroshima' halted
This is not Cameron's first attempt to adapt Last Train From Hiroshima into a film. He had previously planned to make a movie based on the book in 2010.
However, the project was halted due to the controversy surrounding Pellegrino and his book, with readers questioning the authenticity of some individuals named in the non-fiction work.
Meanwhile, Cameron is busy working on the third installment of Avatar—Fire and Ash, which is to be released in theaters on December 19, 2025.