Is The Next Avatar Movie Still Happening? It Doesn’t Sound Like It Out There
Despite being one of the highest-grossing films of all time, James Cameron’s Avatar franchise has had a surprisingly muted impact on online discussions, especially when compared to other blockbuster franchises like Marvel or Star Wars.
Prior to the release of Avatar: The Way of Water it would have been reasonable to assume this was simply because it had been so long since the release of the original Avatar. However, this relative silence persists even after Avatar 2’s release and with more sequels for Avatar on the way to theaters soon.
What’s going on here? The franchise’s minimal online chatter makes it sound like the whole thing is dead. Yet Avatar 2 grossed huge box office numbers and presumably the next movie will too.
A few people have tried to claim that Avatar 2’s box office was rigged and no one actually saw it, but that’s hard to swallow. We have a few other possible reasons, which make more sense.
Avatar’s Tech Is Now Old News
The original Avatar film was more of a technological marvel than a storytelling revelation. The film set new standards in visual effects and 3D technology, but its narrative—often compared to Pocahontas or Dances with Wolves—didn’t break new ground.
The wow factor of its technological advances might not have been enough to foster a devoted fanbase that continues to passionately discuss the lore, characters, and potential story arcs years after the movie’s release. That doesn’t mean people won’t watch more of it, they just aren’t that invested in it.
Bad Timing Leads To A Generational Disconnect
The timing and gaps between the films might contribute to the reduced online chatter. The original Avatar was released in 2009, and the sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was in development for over a decade before being released.
This long interval could have dampened enthusiasm or led to a generational disconnect. Young people lead the online conversation and it’s possible that only old people care about it.
Those older and middle-aged people will continue to show up for Avatar movies in big enough numbers to generate big box office, but the kids on TikTok aren’t going to talk much about it.
Avatar Doesn’t Get Marketing Right
Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has mastered the art of keeping fans engaged with a steady stream of content, teasers, and announcements, the Avatar franchise has been relatively quiet.
Other franchises make extensive use of social media, comic books, spin-off series, and fan events to keep the community engaged and talking. The lack of such supplemental material for Avatar means there is less to discuss between the mainline films.
Avatar Had And Continues To Have No Real Cultural Impact
While Avatar did introduce a visually stunning world with its own unique ecology and cultures, it didn’t permeate popular culture in the way that lines like “May the Force be with you” or characters like Iron Man have.
Elements like language (Na’vi), while rich and well-developed, haven’t captured the public imagination in a way that drives continued conversation and fan creation. No one is out there learning Na’vi, meanwhile, lots of nerds are walking around with dictionaries that teach them Klingon.
Avatar Has Failed To Adapt To The Modern Internet
The landscape of online discussion itself has evolved. In 2009, platforms like Reddit and Twitter were not as dominant in shaping pop culture discourse as they are today.
The way fans engage with franchises has changed, and Avatar may not have adapted to these new modes of interaction.
The relative lack of online discussion about the Avatar franchise, despite its box-office success and upcoming sequels, is a curious phenomenon. That won’t stop Avatar 3 from being released in 2025.
The franchise continues, even though the discussion around Avatar hasn’t.
