The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the visual effects and technical achievements but criticized the plot and lengthy runtime. With an estimated budget of $350–460 million, the film is one of the most expensive films ever made.Īfter repeated delays in the expected release schedule, Avatar: The Way of Water premiered in London on December 6, 2022, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 16, 2022. The filming location moved to Wellington on September 25, 2017, which ended in late September 2020 after three years of shooting. The filming process, which occurred simultaneously with a currently untitled third film, began in Manhattan Beach, California, on August 15, 2017. However, the addition of two more sequels, for a total of five Avatar films, and the necessity to develop new technology to film performance capture scenes underwater, a feat never accomplished before, led to significant delays to allow the crew more time to work on the writing, preproduction, and visual effects. It follows a blue-skinned humanoid Na'vi named Jake Sully (Worthington) as he and his family, under renewed human threat, seek refuge with the aquatic Metkayina clan of Pandora, a habitable exomoon on which they live.Ĭameron said in 2006 that he would like to make sequels to Avatar if it were successful, and he announced the first two sequels in 2010, following the widespread success of the first film, with the first sequel aiming for a 2014 release. Cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, and Matt Gerald reprise their roles from the original film, with Sigourney Weaver returning in an additional role while Kate Winslet joined the cast. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, it is the sequel to Avatar (2009) and the second installment in the Avatar film series. He co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver from a story the trio wrote with Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno.

Avatar: The Way of Water is a 2022 American epic science fiction film directed and produced by James Cameron.

Water world cast