Is there going to be an Avatar 4? Renewal status and more

As the Avatar franchise’s latest installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is making headlines with its comeback almost three years after its sequel, The Way of Water, fans have been wondering what lies ahead in the future of Pandora. James Cameron has always kept the future plans of the film open and has said that he is also looking ahead to the fourth and fifth installments. Avatar’s first two films were huge blockbuster hits, and the makers usually decide to continue the franchise based on how well the films perform in theatres.

Although the official release dates for Avatar’s fourth and fifth installments have already been revealed, the director has said that they will first wait to see the success of Fire and Ash until around “mid-January” before moving forward, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Having said that, this has raised speculation about Avatar 4. However, since most of the filming and the storyline of the next part are already halfway done, it is unlikely that the film will be delayed or cancelled.

Yes, there will be an Avatar 4. As of now, no official reports suggest that the fourth installment has been scrapped. So, for now, Avatar 4 is expected to release on its scheduled date, December 21, 2029.

What are James Cameron’s plans for Avatar 4? 

For sure, there will be more of the Na’vi vs RDA battle on Pandora, but there is expected to be a “six-year time jump” after the first part of the film in Avatar 4. Avatar 4 was initially planned to release in 2026, but the date has now been pushed to 2029. Meanwhile, Avatar 5 is scheduled to release on December 19, 2031.

This shows that the long-term plan for the Avatar universe is already in place. However, James Cameron is still waiting to see the box-office performance before fully moving ahead. In an interview with Radio Times, he also stated that the cinema industry is struggling after the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the rise of streaming platforms, which has led to fewer people visiting theaters.

Cameron also mentioned in an interview with THR that he has other stories he wants to tell and does not want to spend all his time only making Avatar films. With Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 already in the line-up, there are some updates about what could come after all five films are released. James Cameron has ideas for Avatar 6 and Avatar 7, but nothing has been officially confirmed by the studios yet.

These future films will likely depend on box-office results and demand from the fan base. However, reports suggest that after completing his “original plan” for the series, Cameron may not direct the next parts himself. 

What happened in Avatar: Fire and Ash, and how did the finale set the stage for Avatar 4? 

In Avatar: Fire and Ash, the Sully family first faces a new clan called the Ash People, led by Varang. When the RDA teams up with this clan, it becomes tough for the Sullys to fight both the military and the fire clan at the same time. In the final battle, Jake unites all the clans of Pandora and leads them into war, finally defeating the Sky People.

By the end of the film, Varang manages to escape, while Quaritch jumps off a fiery volcano cliff when the Sullys try to attack him. Kiri begins to understand her spiritual powers and her deep connection with Eywa. Spider also changes; he becomes a human–Na’vi hybrid who can breathe Pandora’s toxic air without a mask.

The film strongly hints that Quaritch is not dead and could return to attack the Na’vi again. The producers have also hinted that Quaritch is a pivotal villain who will appear in all five Avatar films. In an interview with Gizmodo’s io9 blog, producer Jon Landau revealed that a future fifth installment will partly take place on Earth, where Neytiri will learn that not all humans are bad.

In Fire and Ash, Neytiri loses her trust in humans, but the upcoming films may show her that the RDA does not represent all of humanity. Similarly, Pandora is not perfect either: just as not all humans are evil, not all Na’vi are peaceful like the Sullys.