Everything We Know So Far

Quick Links

• When Is 'Avatar 3' Coming Out?

• What Cast Members Are Returning for 'Avatar 3'?

• Will 'Avatar 3' Introduce Any New Characters?

• What Will 'Avatar 3' Be About?

• When Did 'Avatar 3' Film?

• Who Is Making 'Avatar 3'?

• Do We Know the Title of 'Avatar 3'?

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Avatar: The Way of WaterAvatar: The Way of Water was a box office juggernaut when it hit the big screen in December 2022, and James Cameron and Jon Landau wanted to make sure that their blue-tinted comeback wasn't for nothing. So much so that not one, not two, but THREE more sequels were announced alongside The Way of Water. In fact, the third entry in the series tentatively titled Avatar 3 (more on that later), has already been filmed. Now gone are the days when the vocal minority would shout that nobody cares about Pandora and the Na'vi anymore because the second entry in Cameron's ground-breaking franchise was a major critical and financial success, and it rejuvenated Avatar fever once more.

We still have a ways to go until we get another adventure following Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their family, but we already know quite a bit about what to expect about the sure-to-be ambitious threequel. Sound the alarm and ready your banshees everything that we know so far about Avatar 3.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on February 21, 2024.

Avatar 3

Sequel of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).

When Is 'Avatar 3' Coming Out?

Avatar 3 is set to hit theaters on December 19, 2025. So for those who want to be exact, that's exactly 1,099 days after the release of The Way of Water, which seems like a lot until you remember that fans had to wait a whopping 4,735 days between the release of the first film until they finally learned the ways of water.

James Cameron confirmed the release date in an interview with TV New Zealand, saying

"We're into a very hectic two years of post-production right now, so it'll be Christmas of '25."

This will pit the film against the animated sequel The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants.

On June 13, 2023, Jon Landau announced the delay on Twitter.

Avatar 3 was previously scheduled to release on December 20, 2024.

What Cast Members Are Returning for 'Avatar 3'?

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Cliff Curtis, Bailey Bass, CCH Pounder, and Matt Gerald have all been confirmed to return as their Na'vi characters. As of now, there is no word yet on whether Kate Winslet will reprise her role as Ronal, but since the Oscar-winning actress, during an interview with Marc Maron on his WTF Podcast, she noted that she was confused at times on whether she was filming a scene for The Way of Water or for the third film, so it seems like she'll be returning once more. While Jamie Flatters' character Neteyam was killed at the end of The Way of Water, there's always a chance that he'll return as well, especially since this wouldn't be the first time the franchise has resurrected characters from the dead.

Speaking of characters returning from the dead, Jon Landau revealed on his Instagram that Wes Studi and Laz Alonso, who appeared in the first movie as Etyukan and Tsu'tey, would be reprising their roles in Avatar 3.

James Cameron has also revealed that Britain Dalton's Lo'ak will serve as the narrator in the new film, taking over from Sam Worthington's Jake Sully.

Landau also confirmed that the exiled Tulkun, Payakan, voiced by Kevin Dorman, will also be returning for the third film.

Of the human cast, Giovanni Ribisi is said to be returning as Parker Selfridge, after making a brief cameo in The Way of Water. The unknown fate of Jemaine Clement's Dr. Ian Garvin also seems to point in the direction that he'll be returning for the third film. Dileep Rao seems like a likely candidate to return as his character Dr. Max Patel.

Two of the major human players in The Way of Water, Jack Champion's Spider and Edie Falco's General Frances Ardmore will also be returning for the next film.

Joel David Moore has also confirmed that he will be returning as Dr. Norm Spellman and hinted at his character's role in the upcoming third installment in an interview:

My role is really interesting and really fun and it will continue to be fun in the future. The storylines just get richer, more robust. The world of Pandora expands in a really lovely way. I've read, obviously, we shot two and three at the same time. And I've read four and I'm telling you there is so much joy to come in the world of Avatar . I can't say too much about the actual storylines, but Norm has a really fun, lovely journey ahead of him.

In an interview with Collider's Steve Weintraub, Saldaña expressed her excitement for Avatar 3 and its two sequels, saying:

"It's going to be amazing. Avatar 3 , it’s going to be amazing, and Avatar 4 and 5 , it just gets crazy. It's true. It really does. He's blown our mind. This is his legacy project. We all thought it was Titanic , and it turned out that Avatar is his legacy, and for us to be a part of something so groundbreaking and trailblazing, it's like it's a legacy for us, too . So I'm excited to go back. We go back to work next week, so I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone."

Will 'Avatar 3' Introduce Any New Characters?

Avatar 3 will feature quite feature several big names joining the fold. After a big year in 2022 including her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All At Once and a voice role in the biggest animated film of 2022, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Michelle Yeoh will be joining the Avatar franchise as a character named Dr. Karina Mogue, a human scientist. While many expected Yeoh to be featured in The Way of Water, that ended up not being the case.

Oona Chaplin most known for her role as Talisa Maegyr in Game of Thrones will be playing the Na'vi Varang, who will serve as the villain of Avatar 3. The character is described as the leader of the Ash People, who Landau claims is "an aggressive volcanic race" of the Na'vi.

Baby Driver breakout star Eiza González revealed to Collider's own Perri Nemiroff back in 2021 that she auditioned for the role after having a small part in the Cameron-produced film Alita: Battle Angel.

Acclaimed British actor David Thewlis, who is most known for his role as Hogwarts' werewolf professor Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films, will also have a key role as Peylak, one of the Na'vi in not just Avatar 3, but also 4 and 5.

What Will 'Avatar 3' Be About?

As of now, we don't really know any concrete details. The Way of Water ended with Spider saving Quaritch but rejecting his offer to join him, as well as the Sully family finally being fully accepted as one of the Metkayina after Neteyam's body was laid to rest with the ancestors of the sea people. Jon Landau revealed to Collider that the third film will continue to raise the bar both technologically and thematically and that we'll be introduced to new clans of Na'vi and new biomes on Pandora.

“Well, I think we're gonna continue to raise the bar with the storytelling first. I think that what we're gonna do is go out and meet new clans. We're gonna go out and see different biomes, and that's gonna present its own technological challenges. How do we present those? Just like water presented challenges in this one. And, what we're gonna also continue to do is not look at just how we use the tools of technology, but how do we get the exhibition community on board with creating a ubiquitous improvement across all theaters?"

After being introduced to the forest and aquatic biomes of Pandora in the first two films, James Cameron revealed that Avatar 3 will introduce audiences to the Ash People of Pandora, who aren't as kind as some of the Na'vi that we've met before. Cameron said:

"The fire will be represented by the 'Ash People.' I want to show the Na’vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides. In the early films, there are very negative human examples and very positive Na’vi examples. In Avatar 3, we will do the opposite. We will also explore new worlds, while continuing the story of the main characters. I can say that the last parts will be the best. The others were an introduction, a way to set the table before serving the meal. But, obviously, everything will depend on how Avatar 2 is received, if it finds its audience."

When Did 'Avatar 3' Film?

Avatar 3 was filmed back-to-back with The Way of Water, with the latter film entering production way back in late 2017. Jon Landau revealed in an interview with Collider's Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub that most of Avatar 3 has already been filmed, and not only that but some of the fourth film has already been shot as well.

We went out and we shot all of movie 2. We shot 95% of movie 3. We have a little bit that we have to still pick up. And we shot the first act of movie 4.

Avatar 3, much like The Way of Water, was filmed in New Zealand, the same country where The Lord of the Rings franchise was filmed, including the first season of The Rings of Power.

Who Is Making 'Avatar 3'?

As previously mentioned, James Cameron will direct Avatar 3, with Jon Landau back on board as the producer. Cameron also co-wrote the film's screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver who penned The Way of Water and worked on the fourth and fifth entries as well. Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno, who also worked on The Way of Water, developed the story. Other returning crew members include cinematographer Russell Carpenter, editors David Brenner, John Refoua, and Stephen E. Rivkin, and composer Simon Franglen.

Do We Know the Title of 'Avatar 3'?

Nothing has been confirmed yet as to what the name of the third film will be. A report from BBC News back in 2018 gave us a list of titles, one of those being The Way of Water. The piece claimed that the third film will be called.... Avatar: The Seed Bearer.

However, this was debunked by Jon Landau in an interview with ComicBook.com, who said:

"I'm qualified to tell you that that is not the title for Avatar 3."

ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51krret05qpZmtdp7KtscCsnGackamybr7ErayrppmjtG6vwKyrZp6ZobqqusZmm56skZ65tHs%3D