Avatar was an absolute visual feast. The messages of exploitation and colonization were lost on pre-teen me, but I remember the rich colors and expansive world that James Cameron introduced us to. It is the highest-grossing film in the world and quite deservedly so. 4 more films of the franchise are slated to be released. And frankly, it has been too long since we have seen the glory of Pandora on the screen. The whole franchise has a global appeal like no other. 3-D photography in exotic locales, perfect motion captures, subtle themes that run throughout the plot, masked by the lush appearance. These have been enthralling the masses for a decade and more and the wait for more should get over soon.
The future of the Avatar Franchise
There are 4 sequels slated in the franchise, with James Cameron having confirmed that the 2nd movie is ready and the third almost done too in this interview.
Avatar 2 was originally slated for release way way back in 2015. But delays set in, pushing the release to 2020. The Christmas release was again delayed because of the pandemic. And remaining post-production work pushed it to a (hopefully) final release date of December 22, 2022. With Avatar 2 to be released in 2022, the next three movies will be released every other year, until 2028. Cameron is sure to step up his game after the first movie. With pressure on him to deliver and to show the world that the success of the first movie did not happen just by chance. He is sure to use the very best of what technological advancement is available in film-making.
The Avatar cast
The main cast will be back, with all four of Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang confirmed to appear in one way or another. There have been many more additions to the franchise. Kate Winslet is finally back with James Cameron after Titanic. Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones), Cliff Curtis (Fear The Walking Dead), Eddie Falco (The Sopranos), Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery), Vin Diesel, David Thewlis (Harry Potter), and many more will be in one or more of the sequels.
The plot details
The next four movies are designed as standalone movies that will merge onto the larger storyline. That is if you’re the one in a hundred who hasn’t seen or heard of the first movie. The franchise will explore new worlds and cultures. And the central theme of the next film is rumored to be family. This theme will carry on to the other films too. Jake and Neytiri have an 8-year-old daughter now, to balance out the duration between the movies. Another theme should be the conflict of cultures, especially those between the Na’vi and the humans.
A whole new ocean-based culture or sub-species is also rumored to appear, reportedly called the Metkayina. The pictures of Kate Winslet practicing in water have led to rumors that her character will be a member of this tribe. Underwater motion capture has been used for the first time in cinema history.
Where will it be released?
The first film really boosted the expectation of the audience. And subsequent hype for the film left people regret not having watched it. The hype for Avatar 2 is truly there. But cinemas may have to upgrade their arsenal to fully flesh out the Avatar 2 experience. It will be a tough task with the pandemic having affected that sector but we have to hope for the best. But one thing we can be assured of is that the movies will be nothing like we have ever seen before. And that they will push the standard of modern film making for decades to come.
