Will there be an Avatar 4? Latest news on future instalments in James Cameron’s epic sci-fi saga
**WARNING: Contains some spoilers for Avatar: Fire and Ash**
Three years after the previous film gave James Cameron yet another box office sensation, the third film in the legendary director’s Avatar franchise is upon us.
Avatar: Fire and Ash whisks viewers back to the stunningly realised 3D world of Pandora and reunites us with the Sully clan, as they face another battle with the RDA – who this time have joined forces with some threatening new allies who really up the ante when it comes to the battle scenes.
Reviews of the film have been a little mixed ahead of release, although our own write-up was squarely on the positive side, so it will be interesting to see just how close this latest entry can get to matching the mammoth box office takings of the earlier films.
With that in mind, you might be wondering what the status is as to Cameron’s previously stated desires for a fourth (not to mention fifth) film in the franchise. Read on for everything you need to know.
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Will there be an Avatar 4?
Not so long ago, the answer to this question seemed to be a definitive yes, with Cameron having long made apparent his ambitions for a fourth and fifth film in the franchise. But in recent months things have become a little less clear cut.
Speaking to Radio Times, the director explained that while he would “love to make” more movies, he was “a bit more pessimistic” than he had been in the past.
He added: “Cinema has become a few selected films that people believe will be an experience that’s worth leaving their homes for. Post-Covid and post-streaming, it’s a depressed industry right now. And it doesn’t seem to be bouncing back.”
More recently, he explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he’s “got other stories to tell.” And while he said that some of those stories could be within the Avatar universe, he doesn’t want to “go down the rabbit hole of exclusively making only Avatar for multiple years.”
He added: “I’m going to figure out another way that involves more collaboration. I’m not saying I’m going to step away as a director, but I’m going to pull back from being as hands-on with every tiny aspect of the process.”
That sounds less like there won’t be another Avatar film, and more just that Cameron is open to slightly reducing his involvement. And with certain parts of the fourth film already having been shot, we reckon that it’s still a fairly safe bet that we will get an Avatar 4 one way or another, unless Fire and Ash majorly flops at the box office – which seems unlikely given the monumental success of the first two films.
If we hear anything more official, we’ll update this page accordingly.
When might Avatar 4 be released in cinemas?
If the film does end up going ahead, then there’s not too much guesswork required when it comes to a release date – as there’s already one in the calendar. Should everything go according to plan, the next instalment will arrive on Friday 21st December 2029, so that’s a four year wait from now.
Not only that, but we even have a date for the fifth film as well, which is currently scheduled for another two years after that, on Friday 19th December 2031.
Of course, we should bear in mind that even if it weren’t for Cameron’s aforementioned hesitance when talking about future sequels, it’d probably be wise to take these dates with a pinch of salt. There are all manner of practical and logistical reasons which could lead to them being delayed, and indeed so far both sequels have been pushed back from their initially listed dates.
In other words, don’t take anything for granted yet – but we’ll be sure to keep this page updated with all the latest news.
Which cast members would return for Avatar 4?
If the fourth film does arrive, we can take a pretty decent stab at guessing which actors might be back for another trip to Pandora. We’d imagine that most of the actors playing the Sullys, including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Sigourney Weaver, would be up for more, and Oona Chaplin seems certain for a return as antagonist Varang as well.
As for characters who died – or are presumed dead – we’d be surprised if we saw more of Kate Winslet as Ronal, Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore, or Brendan Cowell as Captain Mick Scoresby, but there’s every chance Stephen Lang will be back as Quaritch, despite the sticky situation he finds himself in at the end of Fire and Ash.
Indeed, Cameron has previously gone on record to state that Quaritch would be a part of all five films, so it would be a shock if he wasn’t to return.
Meanwhile, David Thewlis, who briefly appeared in the third film as Peylak, the Na’vi leader of the Wind Traders, has been confirmed for a bigger role in the fourth and fifth films if they go ahead, while Michelle Yeoh has also previously been announced for a role.
We’ll keep this page updated with any further updates and confirmations as they come through.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is now showing in UK cinemas.
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