Avatar: The Way of Water, which hit theaters more than a decade after Avatar, has proven to be a massive success, grossing more than $2 billion and becoming the third-highest grossing movie of all time. The Avatar franchise is far from over, with at least three more sequels on the way to continue the Sully family saga. Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake and Neytiri Sully as they and their children find a new home among the Metkayina after old enemies return seeking revenge. However, when Quaritch’s hunt leads him to their new home, the Sullys must fight to protect their family and the Metkayina.
During a press event for the Avatar: The Way of Water digital release, Screen Rant attended a Q&A with producer Jon Landau. He revealed that while filming Avatar: The Way of Water, they also shot Avatar 3 and the first act of Avatar 4. Landau also explained why they needed to film these movies simultaneously.
Jon Landau: We were not just filming Avatar 2, we were actually filming and capturing for 2, 3 and the first act of movie 4.
Truth be told, there’s a time cut after the end of the first act [of Avatar 4], and we needed to get all the kids before they got older.
What We Know About Avatar 3 & 4
Although there was a huge time jump between Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, this won’t be the case with Avatar 3. Based on the fact that they filmed both Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar 3 at the same time, the Sully kids will need to be about the same age, and the Metkayina will also likely continue to play a major role in the story. Perhaps most intriguing is the time jump that will happen after the first act of Avatar 4.
Not many details are known about Avatar 3 and Avatar 4, although James Cameron has teased a new type of Na’vi with the Ash People, who will show a darker side of the Na’vi after the first two films portrayed them as heroes. Avatar 3 will likely deal with the immediate aftermath of Avatar: The Way of Water, including the death of Neteyam. A time jump in Avatar 4 will mean that the second generation of Sullys will be older, which could bring their story to the forefront as they grow into leaders among their people.
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In Avatar: The Way of Water, humans returned to Pandora, but in much larger numbers, with the explicit goal of taking over the planet after Earth became uninhabitable. However, instead of coming to Pandora as refugees, they have only been shown as a devastating invading force. The Sully family is at the center of the Avatar franchise, and it will likely be up to them to protect not only their family but Pandora as well. The second generation of Sullys and Spider could be the key to finding peace, either by destroying those who threaten their home or by finding some sort of harmony with the humans.
Avatar: The Way of Water will be available exclusively to purchase on Digital March 28.
