This article contains spoilers for Avatar: The Way of Water.

James Cameron's plans for the future of the Avatar franchise diverge from the standard formula in quite a risky but remarkably prosperous way. Finally, after thirteen years, audiences have returned to vibrant, beautiful Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water, and the wait won't be as long for the next excursion. Avatar 3 is currently slated for release on Dec. 20, 2024, thanks to the fact it was filmed in tandem with Avatar: The Way of Water. Also, Avatar 4 has already commenced filming, Avatar 5 is in pre-production, and Cameron even has plans for more films beyond that if there's a demand.

Importantly, these impressive plans are entirely contingent on how well Avatar: The Way of Water does at the box office. The sequel recently broke the threshold of one billion dollars at the worldwide box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022 and proving audiences are still just as interested in Cameron's vision. It's a risky move, nonetheless, to proceed with all these projects, betting hundreds of millions of dollars without a guarantee. Of course, this isn't possible for other franchises, even those with more experience in theaters, but Cameron's devoted work behind the scenes in crafting the world, the story, and specifically the scripts, give Avatar a serious leg up on them all.

RELATED: When Will Avatar: The Way Of Water Release On Disney+?

Avatar's Prepared Scripts Give It A Massive Franchise Win

Jake Sully in Avatar: Way of Water 

Unlike the dominating juggernaut in franchise entertainment — the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Avatar already has its scripts set in stone for movies far down the line. So with that, Avatar: The Way of Water was filmed with Avatar 3 in mind and Avatar 3 with consideration for Avatar 4, and so on. As for the MCU, there's a grand plan for how everything, including the various Phase 4 post-credits waiting to be resolved, leads into the next crossover event, Avengers: Secret Wars. Yet, the MCU doesn't have the benefit of being able to look at the exact next movie when making the current one, like Avatar.

Such groundwork allows Cameron, the actors, and fellow creators to delve deeper into all the intricate nuances. The entire second act of Avatar: The Way of Water is devoted to exploring the breadth of Na'vi culture, specifically the Metkayina tribe and their connection to Pandora's oceans and sea life. It was a deep and stunning download worth savoring that also helps set up important elements for Avatar 3 and beyond. While audiences have to wait to see everything come to fruition, there's a palpable sense of cohesion in Avatar: The Way of Water that can only come from having everything plotted out so far in advance.

James Cameron Could Make Avatar The Most Story-Focused Franchise

Avatar- The Way of Water

With James Cameron at the helm, Avatar joins the likes of other major franchises with singular figureheads. The MCU has Kevin Feige, franchise extraordinaire, and DC Studios now has James Gunn and Peter Safran running the show, both also with decades of content to adapt and fall back on. However, such options also bring some considerable limitations. Comparatively, Avatar is original and restricted only by technology, which explains why Avatar: The Way of Water took a decade to make. It derives predominantly from Cameron's imagination as he mixes his favorite science fiction elements with mythic adventure and real-world themes. Thus, Cameron can make Avatar into whatever he likes.

In other franchises, all sorts of moving parts must be managed. Every kind of hero has their own movie or TV show that then has to connect to someone else's, and that's how they expand the scope of the overarching narrative. On the other hand, Avatar has one story and one focus — the Sully family. Using them as the central loci for its narrative, Avatar can explore Pandora's vast wonders and rich lore. There's no spin-off or major crossover it needs to set up. The story is modest and intimate, enhanced by extraordinary visuals, so Avatar stands apart from the crowd.

More: Avatar: The Way Of Water Is James Cameron's Ode To His Greatest Hits