Before the third chapter in James Cameron’s epic science-fiction franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, sets the box office aflame in December, the second installment of the series, Avatar: The Way of Water, is returning to IMAX theaters on October 3. If you missed The Way of Water in theaters (like I did), this could be your chance to course-correct a grievous cinematic sin.
The re-release of Avatar: The Way of Water arrives courtesy of Lionsgate/Universal’s move of the Michael Jackson biopic to 2026, freeing up space for something like Avatar to rake in more dollars at the box office. Other films affected by release date shifts this week include Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, with Doomsday now arriving on December 18, 2026, and Secret Wars superhero landing in cinemas on December 17, 2027.
Avatar: The Way of Water earned a staggering $2.32 billion during its initial theatrical run, making it the third highest-grossing movie of all time behind Avengers: Endgame ($ 2.7 B+) and 2009’s Avatar in the top spot with $ 2.9 B+. When The Way of Water returns to IMAX screens, the sequel could add countless millions to an already impressive total. It might not make enough to take Endgame’s second-place medal, but I’ve learned not to doubt the power of James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.
In Avatar: The Way of Water, Neteyam, the firstborn son of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), meets a tragic end during the film’s finale, adding fuel to the fire that already burns between the Na’vi, the Metkayina clan, and the RDA.
Avatar: Fire and Ash wages war on the box office later this year on December 19, 2025. The threequel introduces the latest in VFX courtesy of James Cameron’s demand to push the art form’s boundaries with every chapter of the Avatar saga. Anticipation for the third movie will surely reach a fever pitch later this year.
When it returns to IMAX theaters in October, will you see Avatar: The Way of Water? How hyped are you for James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash? Let us know in the comments section below.
