Producer Jon Landau recently revealed that Avatar 4 will feature a major time jump. Thirteen years after releasing the highest-grossing film of all-time, director James Cameron returned to the popular science-fiction franchise with Avatar: The Way of Water. Set a decade and a half after the Na'vi defeated the Resources Development Administration (RDA) in Avatar, the sequel saw Jake Sully (Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) fight to protect their family when Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is resurrected with the sole purpose of eliminating Jake.
Screen Rant recently attended a press event for Avatar: The Way of Water's home release, where Landau looked ahead to the franchise's future. When asked about development on Avatar 4, the producer confirmed that the first act has already been shot as the story necessitates a major time jump for the rest of the film. Read what Landau said below:
The first act [is already shot]. Because truth be told, there’s a time cut after the end of the first act [of Avatar 4], and we needed to get all the kids before they got older and shoot all that out.
What Does Avatar 4's Time Jump Reveal?
Avatar: The Way of Water concluded with Jake and his family pushing back Quaritch and his men, however the two adversaries both incurred devastating losses in the fight. Jake reaffirmed his loyalty to the sea-faring Metkayina people as well as recommitting himself to war against the RDA. The sequel's ending sets up a high-octane action-packed Avatar 3 that will find Quaritch conflicted by his son Spider's actions, yet more determined to take down a Jake burning with hatred stemming from the murder of his eldest son.
With Avatar 3 and act one of Avatar 4 already shot, it is likely the sequels will pick up directly after its predecessor with a narrative directly continuing what Avatar: The Way of Water started. However, Avatar 4's significant time jump may imply that either Avatar 3 or act one of Avatar 4 will conclude on a major story beat with implications that will ripple throughout the saga. Although significant plot details have been kept under wraps, the gap in time will allow the Sully children to grow, perhaps in a time of relative peace.
Avatar 3 is set to drastically expand the world of Pandora, including new biomes populated by at least two new Na'vi cultures. The time jump may also account for significant travel throughout the alien planet, with Jake's family possibly rallying the armies of far away tribes to eradicate the RDA once-and-for-all as Jake attempted to do in Avatar. As Avatar 4 won't hit theaters until 2026, audiences will have to be patient to see why such a time jump is needed.
