Avatar is one of the most popular franchises of all time, and to be honest, it is one of the most gorgeous films I have watched to date. The breathtaking 3D technology and the fantastic world of Pandora are what make the franchise stand out in the crowd. The films of the franchise never get out of fashion, and there’s always someone who wants to watch the movies every now and then. So, this article talks about the correct watch order of the Avatar films for such viewers.
How Many Avatar Movies Are There?
The Avatar franchise has blessed the industry with three incredible movies at the time of writing this article. Following that, two more untitled movies will be released in 2029 and 2031, respectively. Moreover, James Cameron has revealed that the profitability of the fourth and fifth films will determine the future of the franchise.
Avatar Movies in Chronological & Release Date Order
There are several film franchises out there that flaunt a complex watch order; for instance, the prequel series gets released after the sequels. That’s the reason why fans always look for the correct watch orders of such properties. However, in the case of Avatar, you don’t have to hassle as it features a straightforward order.
- Avatar (2009)
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
- Avatar 4 (2029)
- Avatar 5 (2031)
1. Avatar (2009)
- Release Date: December 18, 2009
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.9/80%
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver
I won’t say Avatar has the best story, but yes, it has the best visuals, which certainly make it worth watching. Coming from someone who has blessed the industry with projects like Titanic and The Abyss, Avatar never fails to blow my mind, even after so many years since its release. That’s how gorgeous the movie is.
After his brother is murdered in a robbery, Jake Sully steps forward to replace him for a greater cause. The mission is to protect the Na’avi race, which resides on the moon planet of Pandora. During the mission, he also learns about the evil plans of Parker Selfridge, RDA’s head administrator. Jake Sully must protect the race, and the only way to do so is to adopt the ‘Avatar’ identity.
2. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Release Date: December 16, 2022
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.5/76%
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet
The first Avatar film saw a massive success at the box office. In fact, it is one of the highest-grossing films of all time. So, it makes sense why James Cameron decided to make multiple sequel projects of Avatar. Following several delays, the second Avatar film was released in 2022, and again, it captured the souls and eyes of every viewer. Hence, it’s no wonder the film grossed $2.320 billion against a budget of $350–460 million.
Avatar: The Way of Water sees Jake Sully living peacefully with his loving wife Neytiri and their children on Pandora until a new threat arises. Alongside his wife, Sully must form an army and fight against the wrongdoers to protect his family and every Na’avi.
3. Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
Lightstorm Entertainment (via Amazon)
- Release Date: December 19, 2025
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewlis, Oona Chaplin
James Cameron announced Avatar: Fire and Ash following the success of the first film. The director initially planned to release the sequels in 2014 and 2015, respectively. However, changes in the details, production style, technologies, and writing kept delaying the project. Like the second film, Fire and Ash faced countless delays.
The film sees the rise of a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe led by the ferocious Varang. She is cunning and brutal, and wants to take over the resources of Pandora. This time, Jake Sully and his wife, Neytiri, don’t have to fight their human enemies, but also the threat that rises from within their world itself. The film is set after the events of The Way of Water and pushes the saga into a darker and more intense phase.
Upcoming Avatar Movies
Apart from the aforementioned movies, there are two Avatar movies that have been announced already. You can learn about them below:
Avatar 4
- Release Date: December 21, 2029
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewlis, Oona Chaplin
While it’s too early to expect any massive news about Avatar 4, we are acquainted with the fact that some scenes of the film were filmed simultaneously with the filming of the second and third films. During an interview, the director also teased that the fourth film would take place four years after the events of the third film.
Avatar 5
- Release Date: December 19, 2031
- Director: James Cameron
- Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Giovanni Ribisi, David Thewlis, Oona Chaplin
Avatar 5 was unveiled in 2016, and we also learned that the film will finally be set on Earth. James Cameron hinted that Jake and Neytiri would survive until the fifth film. In fact, this time, they must tackle climate change on Earth while fighting their enemies.
