Avatar: The Way of Water is out in theatres, continuing an epic story that began 13-odd years ago. It grossed over $400 million worldwide on its opening weekend itself, making it a box office success.
Sequels attached to the entire Avatar franchise were already in the works. The box office’s fruitful outcome, along with positive feedback from critics and audiences alike, means that Avatar 3 is all but guaranteed.
So what will the future Avatar movies be about? What will carry it forward?
Avatar: The Way of Water producer, Jon Landau, states that the future Avatar projects will focus on the Sully kids—Lo’ak, Tuk, Spider, and Kiri. It will also carry forward stories about the different tribes present on Pandora, as well as a possible visit to Earth.
The 2009 Avatar introduced us to Pandora, a wondrous planet packed with stunning species, scientific mysteries, and a lot of unexplored potential.
The story centered around Jake Sully, who broke away from the human colonists and joined the Na’vi instead. As such, more than its story, Avatar was revolutionary for its concept and execution.
Avatar 2 treads similar lines, bringing back the threat of human colonization, plundering, and poaching. But this time around, Jake’s love story was replaced by a more domestic theme, as the sequel focused on his relationship with his mate Neytiri and his kids.
Landau believes that this is the hook that will reel in audiences for future Avatar projects. In an interview with EW, he talks about how the Sully kids and their coming-of-age stories will be at the forefront of these stories.
“We want you to see Britain Dalton and Jack Champion, to see Bailey Bass and Trinity and Jamie Flatters, as they grow up and continue to play these characters.”
Jon Landau
The Sully kids are all unique in their own way—Lo’ak, despite being an outcast, must now take up his late brother’s position. Spider still has to struggle with not fitting in as a human amongst the Na’vi. Kiri’s existence itself presents a huge mystery, along with her connection to Eywa. Tuk, being the youngest, is currently a blank canvas, brimming with potential.
An Avatar film that focuses primarily on these characters would be amazing, especially if directed as an ensemble movie. These stories about siblings and found families would add a nice touch of depth and emotion to the film.
Ladau has also implied that there may be yet another time jump in the next movie, which is how we’ll see the kids “grow up.” Thankfully, even if the actors do age, the CGI is flawless enough to mask it.
Besides this, Ladau has spoken many times about how the future Avatar projects will uncover more of Pandora, its fantastic creatures, and possibly new tribes. Another exciting detail is whether or not we’ll get to see what Earth looks like in this universe—a creative decision that Ladau is currently deliberating.
All in all, the future of Avatar seems bright!
About Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water is an upcoming American epic science fiction film directed by James Cameron and produced by 20th Century Studios. It is the second film in Cameron’s Avatar franchise, following Avatar (2009).
Cameron produces with Jon Landau. Cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, and Matt Gerald are all reprising their roles from the original film, with Sigourney Weaver returning in a different role. New cast members include Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, and CJ Jones.
Avatar 2 revolves around a universal concept of family and follows Jake Sully and Neytiri 14 years after the first film as they focus on protecting their child. However, they are forced to leave their home and explore the different regions of Pandora when an old threat returns to finish what they started. Jake has never faced a bigger challenge.
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