We’ve heard plenty about the easy-choice sequels to Avatar, including that it was possible that director James Cameron might just film them back-to-back in order to cut costs and get them in theaters much sooner. Aside from that, it was unclear when these might happen and even whether these two sequels would be Cameron’s next project or not.

To settle all of that 20th Century Fox has put out an official announcement that Cameron will in fact direct Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 next up, with hopes to begin production by late 2011. It’s still unclear whether or not the two films will be shot back-to-back, but with planned release dates in 2014 and one year later in 2015, you’d have to assume that it’s very, very likely. All that needs to be done is a little production math: it took Cameron years just to get the record-breaking Avatar in theaters, and a 2011-2014 job planned, it’d be a tad crazy to think he could somehow find a way to squeeze in the third film in under a year.

Jen and Justin step up to Step Up 3D, while the queen of the podcast, Eve Of Doom, finally watches Memento! Special guest this week is Robin Burdge from the Media Junkyard podcast, who goes Under the Red Hood.

Check out Episode 6 of the Flix of Doom podcast, the official movie podcast of Geeks of Doom, for this week’s box office and movie news, as well as a review of the new Will Ferrell comedy The Other Guys.

Full Episode Guide is here below, along with player.

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Many people have questioned some of the decisions that 20th Century Fox has made over the years, but when it came to Avatar, figuring out whether to make sequels or not was about as simple a choice as they come.

The movie did cost around $250 million to make — an astounding price tag leading some to fear certain failure — but when it stormed box offices en route to record $749 million domestic and $1.9 billion foreign totals to equal an unheard of total of almost $3 billion, the sequels went ahead and gave themselves the greenlight.

The only trouble with the next chapters in director James Cameron epic blockbuster saga is just how long it took to make the first movie. Cameron worked on the idea for nearly two decades before the technology even existed to begin the multi-year production. Clearly the sequels won’t take quite so long with all technologies and production foundations well in-place, but they won’t come easy, either.