It might've been over a decade since we last returned to Pandora but it's clear legendary director James Cameron's Avatar universe has been well under development behind the scenes. With just weeks until Avatar: The Way of Water's long-awaited release, the conversation around Pandora has never been more prominent and that includes Cameron's subsequent three sequels.
As anyone who has seen the first film will know a significant portion of Avatar takes place in the fictional world of Pandora. That is except for scenes that see former U.S. marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) back on Earth. However, at the end of the first film, Jake parts with his Earthly body for good, opting to live in his Na'vi body forever with Neyirtri (Zoe Saldaña). So it may come as a surprise to audiences that there are plans for some of Avatar 5 to take place on Earth, according to producer Jon Landau. “In movie five there is a section of the story where we go to Earth," he told Gizmodo. "And we go to it to open people’s eyes, open Neytiri’s eyes, to what exists on Earth."
Interestingly, Neyirtri is the primary motivation to take things off Pandora. In 2009's Avatar Earth is very much marred by the fact that it is home to the RDA, the organization that has a significant - and self-serving - hand in many of Pandora's affairs. Prolific producer Landau explained that there is a burning desire to see Neyirtri exposed to the good Earth has to offer beyond the RDA. “Earth is not just represented by the RDA,” he told the publication. “Just like you’re defined by the choices you make in life, not all humans are bad. Not all Na’vi are good. And that’s the case here on Earth. And we want to expose Neytiri to that.”
As of right now, Avatar 5 is tipped for a 2028 release, with the other sequels in the series staggered across the years in between. At present, it is not believed to have begun filming, unlike the other ventures. Essentially, its fate is dependent on the audience response to the aforementioned films. Cameron previously revealed that he may not helm the subsequent sequels, instead considering the possibility of passing the baton on to another director.
As if the stakes weren't high enough around Avatar 2's upcoming release, it also has to compete with the legacy of its box-office-breaking predecessor. As well as cementing itself in history as the first movie to feature such advanced technology and breathtaking graphics, it also became the first film in history to amass $2.9 billion at the lifetime box office. Time will tell how the Avatar universe plays out, but the cast has promised big things for Avatar 2 so the future of Pandora is looking bright.
Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters on December 16. You can watch a trailer for the film below.