James Cameron is a prolific filmmaker who is known for pushing the boundaries of visual effects and cinematography-- all while breaking box office records. 2009’s Avatar was no exception, although it’s taken over ten years for the sequels to finally arrive in theaters. And one producer explained the biggest “strength” Avatar 2 will bring to the big screen.
After some years in development hell, James Cameron began shooting the next two Avatar sequels starting in 2017. Concrete information about the first follow-up movie is fairly limited, but it’s expected to greatly expand the world of Pandora. Producer Jon Landau has been sharing glimpses from the set, and recently explained how the story of Avatar 2 will be able to resonate with audiences. As he put it,
I think the story of Avatar 2, and the strength of the story, is what Jim [Cameron] always does in any of his movies: he writes in universal themes that are bigger than any one genre. And if you think about this, there’s really no more universal theme than family. At the center of each of our sequels is the Sully family. What are the dynamics that parents go through to protect their family?
While the burgeoning Avatar franchise is set on a fictional planet full of giant blue creatures called the Na’vi, it seems that James Cameron and company still found a way to make the sequels relatable. Namely because we’ll be following Sully and Neytiri’s family as they unite with other clans and attempt to protect their planet.
Jon Landau’s comments to Total Film shows how methodically James Cameron and company have been approaching the Avatar sequels. In addition to the extensive motion capture and visual effects necessary to create the world of Pandora, the mysterious story is just as important. We’ll just have to see exactly how the Sully family ultimately functions as a unit throughout the course of Avatar 2.
Not much is known about the contents of Avatar 2, except that it’ll pick up years after the events of the first movie. While Jake Sully and Neytiri have children of their own on Pandora, they’ll have to leave their home and explore other locations on the planet when the RDA returns to finish what they started. This time the various Na’vi tribes will have to unite in order to defend their home, and the precious natural resources that the planet sits upon.
In addition to the various returning characters expected to appear in Avatar 2, James Cameron and company will also be introducing a number of new characters to the story. This includes Kate Winslet’s newcomer Ronal, who is a free-diving Na’vi from the Metkayina clan. Winslet went viral when set photos revealed her shooting at the bottom of a pool, holding her breath for an insane amount of time in the process.
Avatar 2 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 16th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
