The long, long, long-awaited sci-fi action sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is now only 100 days away, with the official Twitter account for the movie celebrating with a new image. “In 100 days, experience #AvatarTheWayOfWater only in theaters December 16,” reads a caption alongside the image, which finds Jake Sully riding atop one of Pandora’s winged beasts.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

Avatar: The Way of Water will introduce audiences to Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldaña) new family, which will include several native Na’vi children, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss), as well as the human child Miles Socorro, also known as Spider, who is absent from the new image. Played by The Night Sitter star Jack Champion, Spider is taken into the brood of Avatar heroes Jake and Neytiri after being born at the now-abandoned military base on Pandora. Too young to be returned to Earth, Jake decides to take the child in as one of their own.

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Spider will not be their only adopted child, however, with Jake and Neytiri also taking in a mysterious young Na’vi named Kiri, who will be played by Sigourney Weaver. Theories have since suggested that Kiri will be the reincarnation of Dr. Grace Augustine, the character played by Weaver in the first Avatar.

Director James Cameron has since discussed the challenges presented by an older actor playing a much younger character. “As an acting challenge, it’s big,” the filmmaker explained. “We’re gonna have a 60-something actor playing a character [decades younger than] her actual biological age. Sig thought it was all kinds of fun. Sigourney just became younger. She looked younger, she had more energy, and she never quite stepped out of Kiri for our whole capture period. She had a glow on her face and lightness in her step and a fun spirit.”

James Cameron is Not Convinced That Avatar: The Way of Water Will Reach the Same Box Office Success

     20th Century Studios

Despite the long wait, director James Cameron is not convinced that Avatar: The Way of Water will reach the same box office success as the first outing, which broke multiple records on its way to garnering almost $3 billion.

“If we did 20 percent or 30 percent less because the market simply doesn’t exist anymore, that would be bad,” Cameron said of the potential box office struggles that Avatar: The Way of Water could face.

Directed by James Cameron and produced by 20th Century Studios, Avatar: The Way of Water stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, Matt Gerald, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, and CJ Jones.

Avatar: The Way of Water is due for release on December 16, 2022, with further sequels due to land on December 20, 2024, December 18, 2026, and December 22, 2028. Meanwhile, the first Avatar is due to receive a re-release in theaters on September 23, 2022, with remastered picture and sound.