'Avatar: The Way Of Water': Why James Cameron Cut 10 Minutes Of Gunplay Action From Movie

Director James Cameron has disclosed why he cut about 10 minutes of gunplay action from the movie "Avatar: The Way of Water," which hit theaters on Dec. 16.

The 68-year-old director shared during a recent interview with Esquire Middle East that removing those 10 minutes was important because he wanted to get rid of "ugliness" and find a balance between "light and dark."

He also said violence and action are the same, depending on one's perspective. "This is the dilemma of every action filmmaker, and I'm known as an action filmmaker," he explained. "I look back on some films that I've made, and I don't know if I would want to make that film now."

Cameron then revealed that he doesn't want to "fetishize the gun" anymore as he did in "Terminator" movies.

"I don't know if I would want to fetishize the gun, like I did on a couple of 'Terminator' movies 30+ years ago, in our current world," he said. "What's happening with guns in our society turns my stomach. I'm happy to be living in New Zealand where they just banned all assault rifles two weeks after that horrific mosque shooting a couple of years ago."

But while Cameron no longer wants to rely so much on action in his films, it does not mean "Avatar: The Way of Water" isn't packed with action scenes. According to the director, he wants to show only action scenes that serve a purpose in the movie.

Cameron also talked about the final battle in the new "Avatar" film, comparing it with the first movie, which came out in 2009.

"The first film has the good guys and the bad guys seemingly equally opposed, and then the good guys get crushed and defeated and many of the heroes die," he said. "Then there's this almost 'deus ex machina' where Jake invokes the forces of nature — a 'deus ex machina' I think is earned by the way."

However, the director made it clear that the second film doesn't work that way at all, as the battle is not just a battle but "a rout."

"It's the revenge of the Na'vi and the Tulkun. The real challenge, and the real defeat, and the thing that must be recovered from, happens after the battle," he explained.

"Avatar: The Way of Water," which was made on a budget of $350 million to $460 million, has so far made more than $900 million at the box office. The movie stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Michelle Yeoh and Sigourney Weaver.