James Cameron: the daddy of 3D

When he’s done making final changes to Avatar, James Cameron will lend his 3D knowledge to forthcoming survival drama Sanctum, reports Variety.

Cameron will executive produce the film, which has a budget of $30 million (£22 million) and will be directed by Alister Grierson (Kokoda, Flight).

The film is inspired by Andrew Wight’s near-death experience leading 15 divers into an underwater cave system below Australia’s Nullarbor Plain. The cave entrance collapsed, leaving the divers facing a two-day survival battle.

“As one who was nearly killed in that cave collapse, I thought there was great stuff in how people react in crisis, and become heroes or cowards,” Wight told Variety. “Jim and I spoke about all this while working on these 3D adventure projects, and we had a burning desire to make a gritty film about what it’s like to be on an expedition and have it all go horribly wrong. We wanted to show that the 3D equipment and technology can be used to tell a story in a modest budget independent film.”

Universal Pictures has picked up distribution rights to Sanctum and it will begin shooting in Australia later this year.