Can James Cameron give people a new reason to buy MetaQuest mixed reality headsets?
Cameron’s stereoscopic technology company Lightstorm Vision has signed a deal with Meta to “expand the creation” of 3D entertainment experiences “featuring big-name IPs”, spanning live sports and concerts, feature films and television series, the companies announced. Under the terms of the pact, Metaquest will be Lightstorm Vision’s proprietary MR hardware platform.
Details on initial plans for the Lightstorm Vision-Meta collaboration will be shared “in the coming months,” according to a Meta representative.
“Fantastic news… Announcing a comprehensive, multi-year partnership with @meta to revolutionize ALL visual media,” Cameron said in a statement. job on Meta discussions.
The filmmaker behind mega-hits like “Avatar” and “Titanic” said he recently met with Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, Meta’s CTO and head of Meta’s Reality Labs division (which includes Quest), who provided a demonstration of the latest company technologies.
“I was amazed by its potential and transformative power, and what it means for content creators everywhere,” Cameron wrote. “I am convinced that we are at a true historical inflection point. Navigating this future with Meta will ensure that we ALL have the tools to create, experience, and enjoy stunning new forms of media.
Bosworth, in an article on Threads, said it was “truly inspiring” to spend time with Cameron and “learn from a true pioneer” in CGI and immersive filmmaking. “(I)t’s an honor to team up with him and his team to bring people next-generation experiences,” he wrote.
In addition to co-producing original content, Meta will use Lightstorm Vision’s technology and production techniques to help creators create high-quality 3D media “through the use of advanced tools, including the use of AI,” the company said. Cameron recently Joins Stability AI Board of Directorsknown for its text-image AI model; as such, according to Meta, “Cameron is in a unique position to contribute to the thoughtful and responsible use of AI in this space.”
“Our goal is to make premium 3D content more accessible, both for creators and for people to enjoy at home and on the go,” Meta said in a blog post Thursday.
Over the past few years, Meta has invested billions of dollars in an attempt to bring virtual reality and mixed reality to a mass market – but it is still far from becoming a profitable investment. For the third quarter of 2024, Meta’s Reality Labs reported revenue of $270 million and an operating loss of $4.43 billion. Meta’s Quest 3 headset starts at $500, making it considerably more affordable than Apple’s Vision Pro ($3,499 and up).
Bright Storm Vision says its 3D technology was featured in Cameron’s first two “Avatar” films and is being used for the upcoming “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Lightstorm Vision’s 3D toolset and methodology “enables content creators to capture stunning 3D images in a cost-effective, unrestricted environment,” the company says.
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Cameron’s credits include “Titanic,” “Avatar” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” – three of the four highest-grossing films of all time – as well as “The Terminator,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” Aliens.” » and “The Abyss”. His next film, “Avatar: Fire and Ice” is in production and is scheduled to be released on December 19, 2025.