'Avatar 4' Starts Production, James Cameron Confirms

Pictured: James Cameron at a “Terminator” screening in Los Angeles on Oct. 15, 2014.
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KEY POINTS

James Cameron dropped a bombshell at the D23 Expo about the “Avatar” sequels
The filmmaker confirmed that “Avatar 4” has already started filming
Cameron said “Avatar 2” is still in post-production, but things are “going well”

“Avatar 4” has officially started filming, according to director James Cameron.

The 68-year-old Canadian filmmaker recently joined the D23 Expo virtually to give updates on all of the upcoming sequels from the franchise.

According to Cameron, “Avatar 4” had already begun production, but he did not share any other details about the project, Collider reported Sunday.

“Avatar 4” is not scheduled to release until Dec. 18, 2026, so the director opted to focus more on the other sequels in the franchise during his brief appearance.

He said the second installment is still in post-production. Meanwhile, “Avatar 3” is still not done filming. However, he assured fans that everything’s “going well” and that the upcoming “Avatar 2” looked “spectacular.”

“I’m super excited to be finally finishing up movie two. I know everyone’s been waiting a long time,” Cameron was quoted as saying by the outlet.

At the Expo, 3D scenes from “Avatar: The Way of Water” were screened, and they showcased the lush world of the creatures known as the Na’vi. One scene that caught the attention of attendees was the conversation between Neytiri and Jake Sully, the characters of Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington, respectively.

“We’ve realized that love and being with family is paramount to what life is, and it’s worth fighting for,” Worthington said on the Expo stage while discussing the theme of the second movie, which was “protecting family.”

In July, Cameron dropped a bombshell when he hinted at passing the baton to another director after doing the third or fourth film in the franchise.

“The ‘Avatar’ films themselves are kind of all-consuming. … I think eventually over time — I don’t know if that’s after three or after four — I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over,” he told Empire in an exclusive interview at the time.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is hitting cinemas this Dec. 16. Before it, a remastered version of the first film, originally released in 2009, will be screened in theaters once again.

The second movie recently landed on a list of the most-awaited films in the later part of 2022 as many are anticipating the release of the film with a $250 million working budget.

Meanwhile, the third “Avatar” movie has been given a Dec. 20, 2024, tentative release date.