‘Avatar 4 & 5’ Are “Full Speed Ahead,” Says Producer Rae Sanchini

The future of the “Avatar” franchise apparently is no longer up in the air. Inverse reports that producer Rae Sanchini confirmed in a new interview with the outlet that plans for “Avatar 4” and “5” are moving forward, although their release dates for 2029 and 2031 remain “tentative.”

READ MORE: James Cameron Says He Has “Other Stories To Tell” Beyond ‘Avatar,’ Calls Out The Academy For Not Nominating Denis Villeneuve For ‘Dune’ Direction

“Right now we’re figuring out the schedule,” Sanchini said about the upcoming “Avatar” sequels. “We’re working hard on it right now, budgeting, scheduling, planning, building out our new pipeline for them. As far as we’re concerned, we’re full speed ahead.” As for when the shooting and theatrical release schedules will be solidified, she said it would be “in the not too distant future.” “We have the scripts, they’re brilliant,” Sanchini continued. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re heading forward.”

Sanchini’s update should quell any concerns among “Avatar” fans about whether or not James Cameron would ever return to Pandora. Just weeks ago, Variety cast doubt on the franchise’s future, citing the “barely profitable” box-office run of “Fire And Ash” compared to 2022’s “The Way Of Water.” The third “Avatar” installment made $1.488 billion globally in its theatrical run, a nearly $890 million drop from the $2.33 billion “The Way Of Water” made. Add in the $500 million it cost to make and market “Fire And Ash,” and the profit margins for the recent sequel are much slimmer than they were for Cameron’s first two films.

In that case, expect Disney and 20th Century Studios to provide a lower budget for the next two sequels, although updates to the Lightstorm technology used to make Pandora come to life will no doubt also cut costs. “We’re really moving into a more generally accessible platform,” Sanchini said about the plans to streamline Lightstorm’s “very bespoke” visual effects. Updating Lightstorm with “more generally available technology” should make shooting “Avatar 4” and “5” less expensive overall, but that analysis only accounts for production costs. If Cameron’s next sequel sees further diminishing returns at the box office, then Disney may no longer see it as a viable IP.

But then, Cameron has dropped hints that he “has other stories to tell” beyond “Avatar,” meaning he may pivot to another project before making “Avatar 4.” The obvious choices there are “Ghosts Of Hiroshima,” an adaptation of Joe Abercrombie‘s “The Devils,” or returning to a former franchise, like with “Terminator 7“ or an “Alita: Battle Angel” sequel. Cameron wouldn’t be directing those last two, though, nor does he want anyone else taking over directing duties for “Avatar”. Therefore, if “Avatar 4” sticks to its planned 2029 release date, it’s safe to expect that it’ll be Cameron’s next film. There’s no way Cameron delivers another, non-“Avatar” movie between now and 2029.

But if that release date gets pushed back to 2030 or beyond? That’s another story. Let’s see what schedule gets locked in, but the bigger story here is, yes, more “Avatar” is on the way.

Ned Booth

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