Expanding Pandora: The Avatar Saga So Far and How To Prepare for Avatar: Fire and Ash in Theaters

Family, adventure, and breathtaking worlds, revisit the films that built the world of Pandora before Avatar: Fire and Ash hits theaters.

James Cameron’s Avatar movies don’t just entertain, they immerse us in Pandora’s breathtaking detail. With Avatar: Fire and Ash landing in theaters later this year, now is the time to revisit the earlier chapters. Each film deepens themes of family, the wonder of nature, and connection. Add these essential Avatar movies to your Watchlist, so you’re ready when the next installment arrives.

Where Pandora Begins

Avatar

In Avatar, we’re introduced to the magnificent world of Pandora and its native population, the Na’vi. While piloting an avatar in a bid to win the Na’vi’s trust, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a paraplegic former Marine, finds himself bonding with Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña). As Pandora begins to feel increasingly like home, Jake must choose between this new world and the one that sent him there.

This first film lays the foundation for an epic saga unlike any other, introducing us to worlds and characters who will come to define the core themes of ecological balance, cultural connection, and the choices that define loyalty. With its groundbreaking visual effects and meticulous storytelling, the film was an instant global phenomenon.

Add Avatar to Watchlist

Oceans of Pandora

Avatar: The Way of Water

Over a decade after the events of Avatar, we’re invited to explore a new frontier of Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water. Now leaders and parents, Jake and Neytiri must help their family navigate new territory and adapt in the face of impending threats. This second installment expands the Avatar universe, introducing the Metkayina reef clan, majestic sea creatures like the tulkun, and diving deeper into lore by unveiling how water shapes both the ecosystem and Na’vi culture.

This chapter expands on the saga’s core themes, delving into family bonds and the resilience needed to survive. Its events and cliffhanger moments set up the Sully clan’s ongoing plight, carrying the story directly into Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Add Avatar: The Way of Water to Watchlist

The Next Chapter

Avatar: Fire and Ash

The upcoming installment further builds on the world of Pandora as Jake and Neytiri’s story continues. Avatar: Fire and Ash is anticipated to push both the Sully family and Pandora into uncharted territory in an action-adventure blending universally relatable themes with an epic fantasy adventure.

With the release of this newest chapter later this year, now is the time to rediscover the first two chapters.

Add Avatar: Fire and Ash to Watchlist

Do I need to rewatch the first two films to understand Avatar: Fire and Ash?

Not necessarily, but it’s well worth your time to revisit them. With Avatar: Fire and Ash poised to build directly on the emotional journeys and world-building of the previous films, it’s the perfect time to reconnect with the beginning of Jake and Neytiri’s story in Avatar, and to see their family and world expand in Avatar: The Way of Water. Watching again (or for the first time) isn’t required to follow the story, but it unlocks new depths and dimensions of Cameron’s saga, allowing its themes to resonate even more.

Add Avatar to Watchlist

Add Avatar: The Way of Water to Watchlist

Where can I watch the first two Avatar movies?

Both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water are available to stream on Disney+, so you can prepare before Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in theaters.

Add Avatar to Watchlist

Add Avatar: The Way of Water to Watchlist

When is Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters?

James Cameron’s next chapter in the saga, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is scheduled to hit theaters on December 19.

Check out the trailer on Disney+ now

How did Avatar change and impact filmmaking?

Avatar’s premiere in 2009 marked a revolution in the moviemaking industry.  The film set a new benchmark for blockbuster storytelling, with cutting-edge performance capture, photorealistic visual effects, and unprecedented 3D immersion.

James Cameron continues to push the boundaries in his sequels, leveraging state-of-the-art technology to continuously expand the scope of world-building on screen. Paired with groundbreaking visuals are the gripping human drama and deeply emotional stories at the saga’s core, resulting in a franchise that engages and connects with people across cultures while redefining what’s possible on film.

Journey further behind the scenes with Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films, an all-new documentary coming to Disney+ November 7. Learn More.

How many Avatar movies are planned in total?

• Avatar (2009)

• Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

• Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

• Avatar 4 (2029)

• Avatar 5 (2031)

From the Omatikaya forest clan in the first film to the ocean-dwelling Metkayina of Avatar: The Way of Water, the varied cultures of Pandora are continuously being revealed to us. Together, they form the complex and beautiful tapestry that is Pandora and its ecosystem. At the same time, we continue to follow the ever-evolving conflicts between the Na’vi and their human colonizers.

Each film has a new part of Pandora to unveil, while always returning to the saga’s core themes of family, environmental balance, and cultural respect. By rewatching (or diving in for the first time), you can feel confident in your knowledge of every creature, culture, and confrontation as you embark upon Avatar’s newest chapter. Load up your Watchlist, immerse yourself in the Na’vi’s world, and prepare to return to Pandora.