Did Zoe Saldaña Contradict James Cameron’s Statement about Avatar 3?

Zoe Saldaña shared a conflicting update about the filming of Avatar 3 in her recent appearance at the Oscars. 

In James Cameron’s Avatar franchise, Saldaña plays Neytiri, a member of the Na’vi species who resides on the planet Pandora and falls in love with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington). Following his permanent transfer into a Na’vi body, the couple builds a family together. 

Cameron has planned four sequels to the original Avatar, with the most recent installment hitting theaters a decade after its predecessor. The remaining sequels are scheduled to be released by 2028.

During her appearance at the 2023 Oscars ceremony to promote the previous sequel, Zoe Saldaña shared interesting information about the much-awaited Avatar 3 in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. 

She conveyed her enthusiasm for the upcoming third installment and provided an update on the filming progress, stating that the movie was only 70% completed. 

This statement contradicted earlier statements made by Cameron. Check out Saldaña’s revelations below.

Yeah, I mean, we’re gonna go back this summer and finish it up. We’re 70% done there. But, we have time.

Avatar 3 is part of Cameron’s ambitious plan to make four sequels to the original Avatar.

The movie was initially planned for release in 2015, but there were multiple delays due to the exaggerated development process.

Recently, the production of Avatar: The Way of Water began, and it was reported that Cameron was shooting Avatar 3 simultaneously in New Zealand. 

The makers made this decision primarily because the movie involves underwater sequences with CGI characters.

It was reported that Avatar 3 finished filming in late December 2020, following a lengthy three-year production period. 

However, Saldaña’s recent remarks about the need for additional production come as a surprise. 

Earlier in the year, Cameron had mentioned that Avatar 3 was almost finished, estimating it to be 95% complete. Cameron also shared that back-to-back filming was done to avoid any issues with actors aging out of their roles, a phenomenon seen in Stranger Things.

Although Saldaña’s recent filming update may contradict Cameron’s earlier statements, the director has also hinted at his desire to release a whopping nine-hour version of Avatar 3!

According to rumors, this extended version might debut on Disney+ shortly after the movie’s theatrical release. 

Given Cameron’s grand vision for the third installment, his initial estimate of completing 95 percent of the film may have changed.

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.