Avatar 2 has been in development for more than a decade, which may make you think it’s a movie that will never happen, but it’s genuinely been filmed and will be with us… eventually.
Due to circumstances beyond its control, the latest release date delay came in July 2020 when the sequel was pushed back another year from December 2021 to December 2022. If there’s any positive to be found, it hasn’t been delayed again (yet).
For now, we’re going to remain hopeful that Avatar 2 will hit that December 2022 release date, and then it’ll start a succession of sequels every other year until Avatar 5 (yes, 5) in 2028.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves too much yet and concentrate on Avatar 2 for now, so here’s everything you need to know about the long-delayed sequel to James Cameron’s blockbuster.
Avatar 2 release date: When will Avatar 2 be out cinemas?
To cut a long story short, Avatar 2 is finally going to be released on December 16, 2022, having been pushed back from December 2021.
The most recent delay was a result of production being halted due to the global shutdown, not just the live-action filming in New Zealand, but also the “virtual production work” taking place in Los Angeles.
“Prior to Covid-19, everything was on track to bring you the first sequel in December of 2021. Unfortunately, due to the impact that the pandemic has had on our schedule it is no longer possible for us to make that date,” Cameron wrote.
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A message from James Cameron.
— Avatar (@officialavatar) July 23, 2020
Production got back underway in early June in New Zealand (not without controversy though). In September 2020, Cameron revealed that they were “100% complete” on Avatar 2 and around 95% finished on Avatar 3.
This is likely just in terms of the live-action filming in New Zealand, and not on the complete movie itself. Like the first movie, there’s a lot of virtual production and visual effects needed for the movie, so it’s not like Avatar 2 could be released right now, otherwise they wouldn’t have delayed by a full year.
“Now that doesn’t mean I have an extra year to finish the film, because the day we deliver Avatar 2 we’ll just start working on finishing Avatar 3,” Cameron added.
As mentioned before, a new Avatar movie will follow every other year all the way until Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028. Well, that’s the plan anyway.
Avatar 2 - Why has it taken so long?
If you want the full story of the sequel’s long and drawn-out journey to the screen, here goes. Looking back on it, it seems almost absurd that Avatar 2 was scheduled for release in December 2014, and Avatar 3 was scheduled for December 2015.
Those dates got pushed back, you will not be surprised to learn. In April 2016, filming was meant to start on Avatar 2. But April came and went, and filming never got underway. In January the following year, it was announced that work on the motion-capture element of the film would start by August 2017, but it actually began in September.
However, a fourth Avatar movie was announced, which pushed the whole lot back to December 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively. But it’s *checks calendar* 2021 and we still haven’t got a sequel, let alone three.
All of the sequels were pushed back again, with Avatar 2 planned for December 2017 (and the rest set for 2018 and 2019 presumably). James Cameron blamed the “very involved” writing process for the delays.
Next, in January 2017, Avatar 2 was delayed again, the assumption being that it ran scared after Star Wars: The Last Jedi slipped from May to December 2017.
The sequel was then set for a December 2020 release before Disney shifted it again to December 2021, after completing the takeover of Fox, and that brings us right up to the latest delay.
Phew.
Through it all though, Cameron has been completely chilled out about any delays. “It was a seven-year gap between The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, seven-year gap between Alien and Aliens,” he said.
Avatar sequel titles: What will Avatar 2 be called?
While we’ve been calling them Avatar 2, Avatar 3 and so on, there hasn’t been any official confirmation on what they will be called.
However, the BBC reported (way back in November 2018) that the films could be called Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Seed Bearer, Avatar: The Tulkun Rider and Avatar: The Quest for Eywa.
Cameron later confirmed these are potential titles, but could be subject to change.
Avatar 2 cast: Who will return to Avatar 2?
The core cast of the original Avatar are all on contract, so Cameron’s stars will be back in when it finally hits.
Zoe Saldana, who will reprise the role of the Na’vi princess Neytiri, had only just appeared in the Star Trek reboot when she starred in the 2009 original movie, and thanks to projects like Guardians of the Galaxy, she has become the biggest new star to come out of Avatar – as well as cornering the market for playing aliens of various hues.
Sam Worthington will also return as the human-turned-Na’vi Jake Sully, though it’s fair to say that his success hasn’t mirrored Saldana’s.
Not only is Stephen Lang somehow back as the dead Colonel Miles Quaritch, but he’s going to be the main villain of the four movies. James Cameron said: “Stephen was so memorable in the first film, we’re privileged to have him back. I’m not going to say exactly HOW we’re bringing him back, but it’s a science fiction story, after all.
“His character will evolve into really unexpected places across the arc of our new three-film saga. I really look forward to working with such a gifted actor, who’s also become a good friend.”
He also revealed that he’ll be able to “really go to town and examine the character in detail” in the sequel (via The National).
Sci-fi goddess Sigourney Weaver will also be back as a wholly new character and has been learning to free dive in preparation for the movie.
“It’s really the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Weaver told Yahoo. “I just wish the movies were coming out sooner, because I feel like the world needs more Avatar as soon as possible.”
We were treated to a behind-the-scenes photo of Weaver with producer Jon Landau and Joel David Moore. She championed the new script, saying: “Having read all four of [the Avatar scripts], I think they’re absolutely extraordinary and worth the wait.”
Kate Winslet is playing the role of Ronal in all the Avatar sequels, marking hers and James Cameron’s first collaboration since the 1997 blockbuster Titanic, with Cameron admitting they were “looking for something to do together for 20 years”.
CCH Pounder will also reprise her role Neytiri’s mum Mo’at, and Matt Gerald is back as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet. Game of Thrones‘ Oona Chaplin and Fear the Walking Dead‘s Cliff Curtis will be joining the sequels, and Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) is playing the new character General Ardmore.
Meanwhile, EW revealed some of the supporting actors who’ll be playing Sully’s family, as well as some children from another Na’vi clan called the Metkayina, who’ll be lead by Cliff Curtis. These include Britain Dalton, Filip Geljo, Jamie Flatters, Bailey Bass, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, and Duane Evans Jr.
Star Trek: Discovery‘s Michelle Yeoh has also joined the cast as scientist Dr Karina Mogue and we got our first look at her in action on set in March 2021. The caption hinted that she’ll be in Avatar 3 as well, so expect her to play a significant role in the upcoming movies.
