Credit: Inside the MagicFans eager to watch James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) on Disney+ have been waiting patiently since its premiere in December of last year. Now, after a long series of disappointing updates, the movie is finally set to land on the streaming platform this summer—though you’ll have to sit tight for a few more weeks before it’s available.
Picking up 14 years after the events of Avatar (2009), Cameron’s second adventure into the vast world of Pandora sees Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Ney’tiri (Zoe Saldana), and their family going up against a familiar threat after being forced to leave their home in the forest: Colonel Miles Rick Quaritch (Stephen Lang).
The Way of Water sees Worthington, Saldana, Quaritch, and Sigourney Weaver reprising their roles alongside franchise newcomers including Kate Winslet, who plays Ronal, Jack Champion, who plays Spider, and Britain Dalton, who plays Lo’ak, among others.
Unsurprisingly, the movie took the world—and the box office—by storm, climbing up the charts to quickly become the third highest-grossing film of all time with almost $2.3 billion grossed so far.
Now that The Way of Water has had time to simmer following its lengthy theatrical run, audiences are preparing to experience the blockbuster sequel at home. Unlike its predecessor, the second Avatar installment was released under Disney, meaning fans can look forward to streaming it on Disney+. But when?
Initially, there was much speculation about when The Way of Water would land on the streaming service, with many believing that its digital release in late March signaled a Disney+ release would soon. But even its March 28 VOD release was a departure from Disney’s 90-day theatrical window, coming over 100 days after the second Avatar movie’s premiere.
Because of the film’s staggering success, it’s not surprising that the studio would want to play The Way of Water in theaters as long as possible to maximize profits. Plus, the Avatar sequel certainly benefitted from the cinematic experience, with the final cut made to be watched in IMAX or 3D.
Now, according to a new announcement, Disney+ subscribers will finally get to return to Pandora—though much later than expected.
At long last, the Avatar sequel has officially received its Disney+ release date: June 8, 2023. Disney also shared a brand new poster and promotional teaser for the movie to celebrate its arrival on the streaming platform. Check it out below:
#AvatarTheWayOfWater is streaming on @disneyplus June 7 🌊 pic.twitter.com/MN1KqGTzw0
— Avatar (@officialavatar) May 15, 2023
For Disney+ subscribers weary of heading to theaters, The Way of Water‘s release on the streaming service has been a long time coming. Cameron, despite being a vocal advocate of the cinematic experience, previously offered some guidance on how best to view the Avatar sequel at home, telling NPR’s Morning Edition show:
If you watch ‘Way of Water’ at home on a reasonably large flat-screen TV with a decent sound system and you sit close enough and that way across the room, you’re going to have a good experience.
Though its arrival is coming much later than initially anticipated, The Way of Water finally getting a Disney+ release date is definitely worth celebrating.
Will you be streaming Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney+? Let us know in the comments below.