SPOILERS are ahead for Avatar: The Way of Water, now playing in theaters.
Across James Cameron’s three-hour+ sequel to the 2009 phenomenon Avatar, numerous new characters were introduced to the franchise, which we might be just getting to know if all four planned sequels come to fruition. Between Jake Sully and Neytiri’s many children, the Metkayina Clan and the new humans at odds with the Na’vi, there will be plenty to explore in Avatar 3 and beyond. And according to the movies’ producer Jon Landau, a perhaps surprising thread from The Way of Water’s finale is definitely going to be explored going forward.
When Jon Landau recently spoke to Empire about what’s next for Avatar, the producer shared that the whale-like tulkun creature named Payakan that befriends Lo’ak, one of Sully and Neytiri’s sons, in the sequel is set to have a plotline in Avatar 3. In his words:
We view Payakan as a character, not just as a creature. We will continue to explore his relationship with Lo’ak.
Landau also explained that Payakan will continue to be at odds with Brendan Cowell’s Mick Scoresby, who was the captain of the RDA marine hunting vessel on Pandora who placed a tracking beacon on Payakan and chased him to the Na’vi village with it. As Way of Water also detailed, the whalers capture tulkun and harvest them for a brain fluid that can extend human life.
Given how valuable a substance would be to extend life for humans, it sounds like the anti-whaling commentary will very much continue in the upcoming Avatar movies, and Payakan will be a central character in the whole thing. Over the course of The Way Of Water, Payakan and Lo’ak become bonded, so it wouldn’t be completely unfounded that the Na’vi whale may return, but now it’s been confirmed by one major Avatar producer.
During the interview Landau also spoke to some of the big questions going into Avatar 3, the filmmakers and audiences are wrestling with. As he shared, what happens next to Sully and Naytiri’s family following the death of one of their kids is a major one, along with the ongoing tensions between them and the humans who haunt the Na’vi and their land.
Among the other hints we’ve learned about Avatar 3 is the addition of a fire tribe of Na’vi called the “Ash People.” James Cameron teased that the fire Na’vi will explore the not-so-good side of the fictional race. Additionally, there have been rumors that the title of the third Avatar sequel is called The Tulkun Rider, further highlighting that Lo’ak and Payakan’s story will be explored more.
Right now, Avatar: The Way of Water is still killing it at the worldwide box office, with a combined global haul of $1.928 billion ahead of its sixth weekend in theaters, where it’s expected to surpass the $2 billion mark, per Forbes. Among the many upcoming Disney movies coming our way, the third Avatar movie is expected to hit theaters on December 20, 2024.
