While it’s almost guaranteed that Avatar 2 will be a massive success, the studio’s tease that it will be “mind-blowing” is exactly the hype that the sequels need to ensure the franchise’s risky future. In anticipation of Avatar 2’s December 2022 release date, which comes 13 years after the original film that remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell explained that James Cameron’s sequel will genuinely “blow people away.” Disney is already strategically arranging for Avatar 2 to prosper outside of the actual movie, so the studio’s comments about its mind-blowing grandiose visuals give the sequels a much higher chance of success.
Disney’s plan for Avatar 2 and future sequels may be one of the studio’s biggest upcoming risks, as Disney is relying on Avatar 2 not just as a blockbuster cash cow, but also for the franchise’s longevity and non-theatrical commercial pursuits. Proving the investment that Disney has placed in Avatar 2, the studio has already planned for three future sequels, which will be released in succession in December 2024, December 2026, and December 2028. Interest in the franchise may have waned since 2009’s film, but Disney is banking on a successful revival of Avatar, which relies on the performance of Avatar 2.
Since Disney is the kind of studio that could make Avatar a success again after so much faith has been lost in the franchise, the future of the sequels is now in the best hands possible. However, the studio generally promoting Avatar 2 to audiences may only work in gaining interest for James Cameron’s 2022 movie, not necessarily the future sequels. Since very few details of Avatar 2’s story have been publicly released, audiences can only really gauge the film’s dimensions based on direct comments by the studio and director. That said, the tease that Avatar 2 will be “mind-blowing” based on the sheer scope of what Cameron is bringing to the table in terms of visuals, storylines, and groundbreaking filmmaking suggests it won’t just be a blockbuster because of the franchise’s reputation, but Avatar 2 could actually be better than the original.
Avatar’s previous reputation is apt to bring a significant audience base back for the novelty of the sequel, but it doesn’t necessarily extend to Avatar 3, 4, and 5. Rather, the future of Avatar’s franchise depends on how well Avatar 2 performs in terms of its story and filmmaking innovations. The 13-year gap between Avatar and Avatar 2 suggests the blockbuster master James Cameron will be able to wow audiences with modern visual technology at the same caliber that he did in 2009, but the notion of unseen novel filmmaking techniques won’t be enough to draw audiences back for Avatar 3 in 2024. Avatar 2 has to be stunning not just in its visuals, but also in how the story keeps viewers wanting to come back for more, which is exactly what the studio is teasing by saying it will “blow people away.”
Although a studio hyping up its own risky movie franchise is expected, James Cameron's future Avatar sequels require a sense of anticipation for its technology and storytelling to justify its 6-year plan. Disney and James Cameron can no longer use the hype of massive advancements in CGI technology to promote Avatar’s future sequels, as it needs to actually prove it will “blow people away” just as it did back in 2009 for the franchise to be a success. Another billion-dollar box office haul with Avatar 2 is expected by now, but if the grandiose scale of the film can’t live up to its “mind-blowing” teases, the future sequels’ successes aren’t sure bets.
