The release date for James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar 2 will not be altered again, says 20th Century Fox President Steve Asbell. The sequel to Cameron’s 2009 record-breaking sci-fi epic was originally scheduled to release in 2021, but like so many other productions, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected its release. Delaying the film also meant delaying the three other planned sequels in the franchise, with the final entry, Avatar 5 now set to release in 2028.
When the first Avatar arrived in theaters, it had been over a decade since Cameron had released a film with a fictional narrative. Titanic’s 1997 release brought enormous amounts of critical acclaim and praise from audiences worldwide. The film was also something of a major technological achievement for the time – an accomplishment that further confirmed Cameron’s status as one of the most innovative filmmakers working. But however impressive Titanic was on the big screen, Avatar’s arrival took things to an all-new level. The film’s use of 3D not only gave the technology a new degree of immersive intensity, but it also led to a brief but considerable 3D craze, in which major studios released everything they could in the format. Now, thirteen years after Avatar’s debut, fans await what is already being referred to as the latest evolution in Cameron’s movie magic in the form of four Avatar sequels.
The wait for Avatar 2 has certainly been a long one, with the film and its sequels originally having been announced in 2016. Of course, back then no one could have foreseen that the world would be hit by a pandemic that wreaked havoc on nearly every aspect of daily life. As a result, it came as no surprise when the elaborate Avatar production was temporarily forced to close up shop – a move that bumped back Avatar 2’s release an entire year. With so many films changing their release dates again and again throughout the pandemic, many fans wondered if Avatar 2’s release date would be altered once more. But when asked by THR if the film will stick to its current December 16, 2022 release date, 20th Century Fox President Steve Asbell did not hesitate to confirm that it would, saying:
Yes. It will. For real. It’s going to blow people away. You’re not ready for what Jim is doing.
To date, Asbell’s claim that audiences “aren’t ready” for Cameron’s Avatar 2 magic has been repeated several times by other inside sources. It’s a credible enough claim as well, given that Cameron held off on making the sequels until a new form of underwater CGI could be developed. That alone promises a film unlike any other that’s come before. It’s also fair to say that at this point in his career, when Cameron promises something new and impressive, his track record has more than proven that he can deliver. Whether or not the first Avatar sequel to arrive in over a decade will recreate the hysteria that met the first entry remains to be seen, but Cameron’s confidence at this point is nothing if not encouraging.
Of course, the world has changed a lot since 2009 and what intrigues audiences is also different. Should Avatar 2 end up underperforming, it could spell trouble for the remaining three sequels. In all likelihood, however, Cameron’s gamble will pay off, delivering something that will at the very least be visually stunning. It’s not uncommon for Avatar fans who loved the original film to admit that its plot isn’t the most original or engaging. Nonetheless, the film has other qualities that also draw viewers in, providing a cinematic escape unlike any other. Hopefully, Avatar 2 and its sequels can reach those same heights.
Source: THR
