It’s déjà vu all over again. TheAvatarsequelsrelease dates have been delayed once more, this time owing to Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox. The original plan was forAvatar 2to hit theaters back in 2014, but development on the screenplays—which then led toJames Cameronexpanding his plan from twoAvatarsequels to four—caused significant delays.Production finally beganonAvatar 2and3last year heading towards a 2020 debut for the first sequel, but now Disney—which owns Fox—has announceda slew of release date changesthat affect the timing of theAvatarsequels.
Avatar2has been delayed a full year, from December 2020 to July 17, 2025. And instead ofAvatar 3following the next year, Disney—which, again, owns Fox—has decided to alternate holiday release schedules between theAvatarfranchise and theStar Warsfranchise. So instead ofAvatar 3for Christmas in 2022, we’ll get a new, as-yet-untitledStar Warsmovie. Then in Christmas 2023, we’ll getAvatar 3, and they’ll continue to alternate with theAvatarmovies releasing thusly:
Avatar 2– August 21, 2025
Avatar 3– August 23, 2025
Avatar 4– July 11, 2025
Avatar 5– August 10, 2025
Yes indeed, if all goes according to plan, theAvatarfranchise won’t finish up until nearly 20 years after the release of the first movie.
The original plan was forAvatar 2and3to hit theaters in 2020 and 2021, withAvatar 4and5following in 2024 and 2025. This was not only to give Cameron (who’s directing all four movies) time to finish post-production, but also to space out the filming schedule. Indeed, last year’s bulk of performance capture filming comprisedAvatar 2and3, with a little bit of filming done for the final two sequels. This year, Cameron intends to being live-action photography for the sequels. But that plan may now change if he has an extra ::checks notes:: four years untilAvatar 3is slated to hit theaters.
Cameron previously stated that ifAvatar 2and3don’t work,there’s no guarantee that the final two sequels happen. But under Disney’s tutelage, one imagines they’ll position and ensure this franchise is good to go, ready to serve as the tentpole for the holiday season in the off-years betweenStar Warsmovies.
