It's virtually a foregone conclusion that a sequel to Avatar will happen. The film earned yet another $19.4 million domestically on Monday, bringing the domestic total to $232 million in just 11 days. The film's success and remarkable FX advancements (note I said remarkable, not "industry changing"—the 3-D is rather conventional), doubtless has 20th Century Fox execs dreaming of sequels, and James Cameron has himself talked about this possibility since before Avatar arrived in theaters.

If you're curious how the film's ending would pave the way for another installment, Cameron sat down recently with the LA Times and explained just how such a story might be handled—and that it might involve leaving Pandora, which is actually one of several moons orbiting a primary planetary body.

"The planet in Pandora's sky is called Polyphemus and its a primary for a system of moons just like in our solar system," Cameron confirmed. "We have some story ideas about how to branch out into other moons of Polyphemus and the Alpha Centauri A (ACA) solar system."

This still begs the question as to how Jake and the Na'vi will transit between planetary bodies (perhaps using tech left behind by humans?) — assuming they're part of the story at all — and if the humans will return to this system to factor into things once again. Or might Cameron introduce an all new race that inhabits either the primary or one of the other moons...? When confirmation of a sequel arrives, expect the speculation to ensue all over again.