James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water and its three other sequels will be standalone films telling individual stories about the escapades of the Sully family.
At CinemaCon, Disney and 20th Century Studios announced the title and trailer release date for Avatar 2. Producer Jon Landau then revealed that each of the upcoming Avatar movies would have its own standalone story with definitive conclusions that work together to form a larger saga.
The Way of Water and its sequels revolve around the family of earthling Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) and his Na'vi mate Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana). Landau underscored the massive $1 billion budget for the Avatar sequels, declaring each film would be released exclusively in theaters.
Further updates to the James Cameron-directed film included its overview. As revealed by Disney, the synopsis of Avatar: The Way of Water reads, "Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure."
20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell called the Avatar sequels just as "mind-blowing" as the original, saying people "aren't ready" for what's coming. "It's going to blow people away," he said.
The long-awaited sequel also profoundly impacted Saldana, who saw 20-minutes of Avatar 2 and deemed it "powerful" and "compelling." "I can get choked up just talking about it, because I was able to see just 20 minutes of the second installment, right before the year ended, last year, and I was speechless," she said. "I was moved to tears."
Released in 2009, Avatar is currently the highest-grossing film of all time, sitting at a global box-office total of $2.85 billion. It also received rave reviews from critics for its groundbreaking visual effects and use of 3D. The first trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water will debut exclusively in theaters ahead of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, releasing on May 6.
Avatar: The Way of Water arrives in theaters Dec. 16.
Source: CinemaCon 2022, via Screen Rant