In case there was ever any doubt that the Avatar sequel would actually be a part of the 2022 new movies slate, Disney and 20th Century Studios revealed some major details for the long-awaited sequel as part of their presentation at CinemaCon 2022, including the movie’s official title and how fans can be some of the first people to watch the trailer.
James Cameron’s Avatar became the highest-grossing movie of all time when it was released in 2009, and though it has been challenged by Avengers: Endgame, Avatar's $2.8 billion lifetime gross makes it still king of the box office. The sequel will pick up the story of Jake Sully and the Na’vi and is officially called Avatar: The Way of Water.
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER coming this December! It's real! It exists!April 27, 2022
Avatar: The Way of Water has a release date of December 16, 2022, but fans who were not in attendance at CinemaCon this year can get their first look at the movie much sooner than that with the first trailer. The Wrap reported on the presentation where Disney’s Tony Chambers announced that the Avatar: The Way of Water trailer will be shown exclusively in movie theaters with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (releasing May 6) for a week before it makes its debut online.
Many publications are being quiet on the footage that was shown of Avatar: The Way of Water at CinemaCon (though reports say that it was in 3D), though The Hollywood Reporter said that the footage astonished audiences. So if you want to be among the first to see what lies in store with the return to Pandora, you’ll have to make a trip to the movies.
On that subject, The Wrap also reported that Avatar producer Jon Landau said during the presentation Avatar: The Way of Water — and all of the other planned Avatar sequels — will be self-contained stories that follow Jake Sully, Neytiri and those on Pandora. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are returning to their lead roles of Jake and Neytiri, while other cast members like Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi and Stephen Lang are said to be coming back as well. New cast members include Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh and Edi Falco.
One last bit of Avatar news from CinemaCon. The original movie will have the opportunity to grow its all-time box office lead as it is planning to be re-released in movie theaters in September. An official date was not shared.
