The countdown to James Cameron’s highly anticipated Avatar: The Way of Water has begun. As the promotions ramp up, the cast and director are giving out tidbits about the upcoming feature to hype up fans. It’s been thirteen years since the original feature came out and to keep up with changing times, Cameron made sure that the movie’s premise reflects that evolution as well. In a new interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, lead star Sam Worthington spoke about the emotional impact of Avatar 2 and gave an update on how far along production on the other sequels have gotten.
When Avatar came out in 2009, nobody could imagine the cultural impact the movie would have on the audience. Not only because it went on to create and break several box office records, but also because it connected with the audience on an unexplainable deeper level. The craze to see the sequel is a testament to the success of the original feature and Cameron’s vision, with the director taking over a decade to perfect the upcoming feature. Nonetheless, when Fallon asked Worthington about Avatar 2, the actor who saw it recently revealed that “the first one, [the sequel] blows it away.” He further commended the director for giving the sequel an emotional core by upholding the familial aspect. He said,
“I get quite emotional talking about it because what Jim’s done [is] he’s made it about a family. And it’s powerful. Not only is it visually stunning and you’re seeing a part of Pandora that you’ve never seen before, all underwater, but it’s about what you do to protect your family. And I think after COVID everybody needs that kind of message. It’s about what you would do for those that you love. It’s amazing.”
When Fallon further probed him about the sequels the actor candidly updated him, confirming that they have “filmed about 80-90 percent” of the third movie. Adding, “I think we’re still owing some scenes. And in four, we did a few scenes because the kids were aging out. So we have to do it before they get older. And then yeah there’s five in the saga if we’re lucky enough to get it.” As for the current movie, the actor hoped, “We’re not arrogant enough to assume it’s going to connect. We really hope so because we love the movie and hope other people do too.”
Avatar: The Way of Water will premiere on December 16, you can check out Worthington's comments below: