Avatar came out in 2009 to major fanfare. It became (and still is) the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, and won three Academy Awards. James Cameron, the director, writer, and co-producer of the film, crafted an epic science-fiction world about large blue people determined to save their native land from human invasion and audiences ate it up. The film became known for its incredible visuals, ushering in an era of moviemaking when 3D films were all the rage. Avatar came at the right time and place, and it only makes sense James Cameron and 20th Century Fox wanted to make more films to complement the major hit.
It took over a decade for Avatar: The Way of Water to actually come to theaters. The pandemic no doubt created a delay on production, but Avatar: The Way of Water also took three years to film, and involved complicated underwater technology, as TIME Magazine reported. The actors also learned to hold their breath for the film, with Kate Winslet actually holding her breath for an filmmaking record seven minutes. Not to mention Avatar was initially supposed to be first in a trilogy, but quickly ballooned into five films, as Cameron said he had too much story to tell in three movies.
Avatar, despite its reigning slot as the biggest movie ever, has since retained the perception of a movie everyone’s since forgotten, as a recent New York Times article explained. We all loved it, and yet, we can’t quite recall why. So it’s perfectly understandable to think, “Is Avatar: The Way of Water really worth seeing?” And the answer, according to our official review, is yes. And once you’ve seen it, you’ll be wondering, “When’s the third movie coming?” We have an answer for that, too, below.
When Is Avatar 3 Coming Out?
Currently, the as-yet-unnamed Avatar 3 is set to come out on December, 20 2024, according to Digital Spy. Both Avatar and The Way of Water have had mid-December release dates, so it’s likely Avatar 3 will come out around the same time.
What Will Avatar 3 Be About?
There’s no telling exactly what Avatar 3 will be about, but it’s easy to guess it’ll follow the events of Avatar: The Way of Water, where veteran Jake Sully (now turned into a Nav’i and raising a family) will have to contend once again with humans (and potentially other threats) attempting to take over the Nav’i’s land.
[SPOILER for THE WAY OF WATER BELOW!]
Those who watch The Way of Water will also be curious to see how the story continues after the events of the second film. How will the Sully family bounce back after the death of oldest son Neteyam? How will second son Lo’ak step up? What’s the deal with Sigourney Weaver’s new character, Kiri? Colonel Miles Quaritch seemed to have something of a softer side when it came to his son, Spider. Is there a redemption arc in the works? We know he and Jake will keep on facing off as these movies continue. That much remains to be seen, but it’s all very interesting to think about.
Will There Be More Avatar Sequels?
James Cameron is set to have five Avatar films total, with the final (as Vulture reported) potentially coming in 2028. And as long as each one makes enough money, we’ll see more of the blue people for years to come.
Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men’s Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine’s Vulture and Chicago Tribune.
