We should be returning to Pandora this Christmas, despite the fact that Avatar 2 has taken its time to come (to put it nicely).
The long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s Avatar was supposed to be released in 2014, but fans had to wait more than a decade. Perhaps part of the reason for the delay is that Cameron wasn’t exactly going easy on himself, opting to film the entirety of the film underwater.
“It sounds kind of nuts, the process,” he admitted to EW about his plan for the sequel. “I mean, if Avatar hadn’t made so much damn money, we’d never do this — because it’s kind of crazy.”
Cameron, who is responsible for two of the top three highest-grossing films of all time, is the only person who could pull it off (Avatar and Titanic). Some may doubt that anyone wants Avatar 2 right now, but never bet against the director.
As we touch every piece of wood in sight, it appears that the sequel will be released in December 2022. We’ve even started to gather the first storyline information about what to expect from our return to Pandora in the run-up to its release.
If the sequel is released this year, it will be the first in a series of sequels that will continue every other year until Avatar 5 is released in December 2028. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and focus on Avatar 2 for the time being.
Here’s everything you need to know about the long-delayed sequel to James Cameron’s blockbuster.
When is Avatar 2 going to be released in theatres?
To summaries a long narrative, Avatar 2 will, reportedly, be released on December 16, 2022, after being postponed from December 2021 owing to the ongoing global health crisis.
The sequel began production in 2017, but considering the film’s blend of live-action and motion capture components, it’s understandable that it took so long. Cameron claimed in September 2020 that Avatar 2 was “100% complete” while Avatar 3 was roughly 95 percent complete.
Given that there are three more films in the works, Cameron has been working on them all in recent years. He claimed in December 2021 that he has already shot portions of Avatar 4 owing to the youthful actors.
“Anything that had to be done with a specific actor, we did all the scenes for 2 and 3 together – and a little bit of 4,” he told Variety.
“I had to shoot the kids out. They’re allowed to age six years in the middle of the story on page 25 of movie 4. So I needed everything before then, and then everything after, we’ll do later.”
Why has it taken so long to make Avatar 2?
Here’s the complete narrative of the sequel’s long and winding road to the big screen. Looking back, the fact that Avatar 2 was set to be released in December 2014 and Avatar 3 was set to be released in December 2015 seems almost ludicrous.
Following delays, filming on Avatar 2 was supposed to begin in April 2016, however April came and went with no filming. It was stated in January of the following year that production on the motion-capture portion of the film would begin in August 2017, although it actually began in September.
The news of a fourth Avatar film put everything back, and then it was pushed back again, with Avatar 2 due to release in December 2017. (and the rest set for 2018 and 2019 presumably). The delays, according to James Cameron, are due to the “extremely complicated” writing process.
Then, in January 2017, Avatar 2 was postponed once more, with speculation that it was afraid after Star Wars: The Last Jedi was pushed out from May to December 2017.
Following the completion of Disney’s ownership of Fox, the sequel was rescheduled for December 2020, before being pushed back to December 2021, which gets us right up to the newest postponement.
Cameron, on the other hand, has been entirely unconcerned about any delays. He said that there was a seven-year gap between The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, as well as a seven-year break between Alien and Aliens.
Who will reprise their roles in Avatar 2?
Because the first Avatar’s main cast is under contract, Cameron’s actors will return when the film is released.
The Na’vi princess Neytiri will be played by Zoe Saldana again, with Sam Worthington reprising his role as Jake Sully, a human-turned-Na’vi.
Stephen Lang reprises his role as Colonel Miles Quaritch, who will be the major antagonist in the four films. In the sequel, he added, he’ll be able to “truly go to town and analyze the character in detail” (via The National).
“I’m not going to tell exactly HOW we’re bringing him back,” James Cameron said, “but it is a science fiction movie, after all.”
Kate Winslet will portray Ronal in all of the Avatar sequels, marking the first time she and James Cameron have worked together since the 1997 smash Titanic.
CCH Pounder will return as Neytiri’s mother, Mo’at, and Matt Gerald will reprise his role as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet, while Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) will play General Ardmore, a new character.
The Metkayina, headed by Cliff Curtis of Fear the Walking Dead as Tonowari, will be introduced in the sequel. Ronal, played by Winslet, is a member of the Metkayina clan, with Reya, played by Bailey Bass, and Rotxo, played by Duane Evans Jr.
Jamie Flatters’ Neteyam, Britain Dalton’s Lo’ak, and Trinity Bliss’ Tuktirey are among Jake and Neytiri’s Na’vi offspring in the sequel. They’ve done it.
Varang will be played by Game of Thrones’ Oona Chaplin, who is described as a “powerful and energetic major character” who will appear in all four sequels.
Michelle Yeoh, well known for her role as Dr. Karina Mogue in Marvel’s The Avengers, has also joined the cast as a scientist, and we got our first glimpse at her on set in March 2021. She’ll be in Avatar 3 as well, according to the caption, so anticipate her to play a major role in the following films.
Fast & Furious actor Vin Diesel has joined the sequels alongside Jemaine Clement as marine researcher Dr Ian Garvin, whom Cameron describes as “one of my favorite characters.”
When will the Avatar 2 trailer be available?
Unfortunately, no official trailer has been released yet. Cameron has been honest about the likelihood of seeing the following four Avatar films – it all relies on how well Avatar 2 does in theatres. However, if Avatar 2 is a success, he has promised Avatar 3 in 2024.