Jon Landau assures that talks are happening for Alita 2 and explains how Avatar: The Way of Water will influence the sequel. Alita: Battle Angel hit theaters in 2019 and followed the titular cyborg as she discovered the truth about her identity, her friends, and the people who run the city she lives in. The movie ended on a cliffhanger, setting up a potential sequel, which dedicated fans have been clamoring for ever since.
During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant about Avatar: The Way of Water, Landau discussed the potential Alita sequel. Landau teased having talks with Alita's director, Rodriguez, and star, Salazer, about the sequel. Landau also explained how Avatar: The Way of Water will impact Alita 2.
Jon Landau: We're working on it.
I think what we've learned from Avatar is how much more facial nuance and subtlety that we can get into characters that we want to be emotional and emote that are humanoid. Alita would not have been possible, but for what we did on Avatar. Avatar: Way of Water would not be what it is but what we did for Alita. And now let's put that back and give it back to Alita. We're talking to Robert and talking to Rosa and all is good.
How Avatar: The Way Of Water Will Influence Alita: Battle Angle 2
Alita: Battle Angel perfectly sets up a sequel, picking up months after she lost Hugo and has become a rising star in Motorball. Her final moments cement her plans to avenge Hugo by taking on Nova, who watches the competition from Zalem. A potential sequel could reveal more about Alita's past as a shock trooper as she works her way up to Motorball Champion in the hopes of getting to Zalem so she can finally face Nova.
Avatar was groundbreaking, but Avatar: The Way of Water sets the bar even higher, and it seems Alita: Battle Angel is in part responsible. The details and facial reactions improved tremendously between the two Avatar films. Now, it seems the cycle will continue with Alita 2 becoming even more nuanced in how Alita and other cyborgs emote through their facial expressions. This will likely help improve future Avatar sequels as well.
Landau's answer may mean that they aren't just talking with Rodriguez and Salazar but that they're "working on it." Christopher Waltz, who played Altia's father figure, Dr. Dyson Ido, has also expressed an interest in returning for Alita 2. With the original movie's stars, director, and key producers actively interested in continuing Alita's story a sequel seems more likely than ever especially with fans vocalizing their desire for Alita 2 and the massive success of Avatar: The Way of Water.