Could the Avatar sequels be projected at 120 frames per second?

For those of you who actually dug the Hobbit films at 48 frames per second, a man by the name of Douglas Trumbull has developed a 4K 3D format that can be projected at 120 fps on conventional digital projectors. Trumbull has spoken with Avatar producer Jon Landau about possibly using this format for the AVATAR sequels, and has scheduled a screening of the short film UFOTOG, which utilizes this format (dubbed MAGI).

Trumbull had this to say:

I know that Cameron is a huge advocate of high frame rates. The use of high frame rates for Avatar would be very appropriate and very successful. I don't know if Cameron is interested, he's in seclusion writing the screenplay for Avatar, [but] I am talking to Jon Landau, and we plan to have a screening [of UFOTOG] soon. If directors like Cameron, J.J. Abrams, Peter Jackson want this, then I think we’ll start getting some traction.

In regards to the look of MAGI:

It delivers extreme fluidity of motion and amazing clarity with no strobing, no double flickering and a viewing experience that far exceeds conventional movie quality. Michael Bay is going to make an even worse Transformers movie because there won’t be any motion blur.

Speaking of the Peter Jackson's 48 fps HOBBIT films:

The Hobbit fell victim to the 'uncanny valley', but when you dramatically increase the frame rate to 120 fps you jump over the valley to a whole new territory.

I was definitely curious to check out THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY in 48 fps and while the 3D was integrated better, I could never get over the look of the film. There's no question that it was much more fluid, but is that necessarily a good thing? While in some bizarro alternate universe, higher frame rates may be the norm, we are raised on movies that are shot at 24 frames per second and they have a pleasing aesthetic quality that gives it a timelessness. Personally, I would take that look over a better 3D any day of the week. I haven't written 3D off completely, but nothing I've seen in the higher frame rate category has sold me just yet.

Here's an interesting look at Trumbull and his take on the future of film.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter

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