As unrealistic and outlandish as it may seem, we are getting closer and closer each day to James Cameron's long-gestating Avatar sequel. Aside from casting news and some set images, updates have been relatively slim. Yet producer Jon Landau recently had a chance to speak with Total Film Magazine, where he teased some upcoming developments for the sequel, which will feature extensive underwater sequences and environments.
Landau noted that the basic story of the film will center on new parents Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). The family flees Pandora when the RDA mining operations once again threaten their homeworld. The Sullys and the Na'vi seek an oceanic safe haven, which turns out to be quite the opposite of what they had anticipated. In short, the film will be a fish-out-of-water tale, swapping Jake's new experiences on Pandora to that of the Na'vi with the Metkayina, which is the clan they meet in this new aquatic world.
The following comments were made by Landau, who acknowledged the family aspect that he and Cameron strive to evoke in the sequel:
"I think the story of Avatar 2, and the strength of the story, is what Jim [Cameron] always does in any of his movies: he writes in universal themes that are bigger than any one genre. And if you think about this, there’s really no more universal theme than family. At the center of each of our sequels is the Sully family. What are the dynamics that parents go through to protect their family?"
It's been known for quite some time that the Avatar sequel would tackle an oceanic environment, with a set photo posted by Cameron last December teasing a boat set dubbed The Matador. The second and third Avatar films had their live-action components filmed at the same time, and scripts have been written for the fourth and fifth films. Yet given the mere fact that the fourth film is slated for a 2028 release, only time will tell.
Aside from Worthington and Saldana, Avatar 2 will see the return of Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, and Matt Gerald. Newcomers will include Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, and Michelle Yeoh in live-action roles. Filming began in 2017, with the COVID-19 pandemic throwing wrenches into the film's already long and arduous production schedule.
Avatar 2 is set to hit theaters on December 16, 2022.