Credit: DIsneyAvatar: The Way of Water (2022) continues to make huge waves at the global box office. Needless to say, director James Cameron and 20th Century Fox Studios are now moving ahead with the next three films, Avatar 3 (2024), Avatar 4 (2026), and Avatar 5 (2026).
So far, the long-awaited sequel has grossed around $2.282 billion worldwide, and has broken multiple records on its journey to the top. It’s currently the third highest-grossing film of all time, with just over $500 million before it overtakes Avengers: Endgame (2019).
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The film sees the return of Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldaña (Neytiri), CCH Pounder (Mo’at), Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge), Joel David Moore (Dr. Norm Spellman), Dileep Rao (Dr. Max Patel), and Matt Gerald (Corporal Lyle Wainfleet).
Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang, who play Dr. Grace Augustine and Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar, are also back. However, this time, Weaver plays Jake and Neytiri’s Na’vi teenage daughter, Kiri, while Lang plays the “Na’vi version” of his character.
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As per 20th Century Studios’ description, here’s the official synopsis for Avatar: The Way of Water:
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
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While very little is known about Avatar 3, director James Cameron recently revealed how it will connect to Pandora — The World of Avatar, the popular themed land at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
In an interview with Deadline Hollywood, the Titanic (1997) director revealed that Avatar 3 will introduce even more Na’vi clans into the fold, and explained how they are “desert people… the windtraders that trade, that travel around, that sort of thing.”
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“Windtraders” is the name of a merchandise store located at Pandora — The World of Avatar. The name supposedly refers to traveling Na’vi traders who are responsible for the stock of cultural items from throughout Pandora in the shop.
Canonically, the themed land, which is also set on the fictional exoplanetary moon as seen in the films, takes place a whole generation after the event of the Avatar films. It remains to be seen how the themed land will tie into Avatar 3, but the fact that it’s going to be connected in some shape or form will help make it all the more immersive.
Check out the final trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water below:
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Avatar: The Way of Water also stars Cliff Curtis (Tonowari), Jamie Flatters (Neteyam), Jeremy Irwin (Young Neteyam), Britain Dalton (Lo’ak), Chloe Coleman (Young Lo’ak), Trinity Bliss (Tuktirey), Bailey Bass (Tsireya), Filip Geljo (Aonung), Duane Evans Jr. (Rotxo), and Kate Winslet (Ronal), all of whom are newcomers to the Na’vi.
Humans newcomers are Jack Champion (Javier “Spider” Socorro), Edie Falco (General Ardmore), Michelle Yeoh (Dr. Karina Mogue), Brendan Cowell (Captain Mick Scoresby), Jemaine Clement (Dr. Ian Garvin), Oona Chaplin (Varang), and CJ Jones.
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Avatar 3, Avatar 4, and Avatar 5 will release on December 20, 2024, December 18, 2026, and December 22, 2028, respectively. But before the third film hits theaters next year, fans will be able to enjoy another installment, in the form of open-world, first-person shooter video game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (TBA).
Avatar: The Way of Water is in theaters now, in Dolby Cinema, IMAX, and IMAX 3D. Open-world game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (TBA) will be released on the following platforms — PlayStation 5, Windows for PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Google Stadia.
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Are you a fan of the themed land Pandora — The World of Avatar? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!