Since the advent of film and the establishment of the film industry, cinema has come a long way. What used to be silent films that lacked color entirely are now incredibly elaborate and complex projects that utilize an equally diverse myriad of tools and technology that have redefined film as we know it. Filmmakers have crafted whole new worlds and universes that exist outside of the scope of humanity and take viewers to fictional worlds that serve to entertain them, some of which enthralling fans so much they become full-fledged franchises. One project in particular exhibited the growth Hollywood has seen quite well when it hit theaters in 2009, and now fans are finally set to receive a sequel in Avatar: The Way of Water.
While 2009 was quite some time ago given how fast Hollywood moves, anybody who has seen it will remember Avatar. The big-budget sci-fi project was a massive box office success upon its release when it generated over $2.8 billion across box offices worldwide, but despite that success a sequel never came to fruition. Now that is about to change: at CinemaCon this week Disney announced plans to release the long-awaited Avatar sequel film and even announced the project’s official title, Avatar: The Way of Water. The sequel has actually been in production since 2017 but has been kept tightly under wraps aside from some set photos posted by director James Cameron, who also directed the 2009 original, but it looks like Disney decided it was time to let the cat out of the bag. The project will also see Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana reprise their roles as Jake and Neytiri, and is expected to hit theaters at the end of this year on December 16th, 2022.
Most films are lucky if they get the chance to produce a sequel, however Avatar is different. Given the massive amount of success it saw at the box offices in 2009, a sequel was virtually guaranteed. Given how elaborate the project was and the incredible special effects it utilized though, a sequel was going to require some time. Thirteen years later, that sequel is finally here and fans can catch Avatar: The Way of Water when it debuts this December.
