The sequel to 2009’s smash hit “Avatar” is set to hit theaters on December 16, 2022. Though fans are eagerly awaiting the sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water,” the film, which already has high expectations placed on it, particularly because its predecessor has remained the highest-grossing film of all time for over a decade, is being met with renewed skepticism, this time over its runtime.
In an earlier interview with Empire magazine, Avatar director James Cameron confirmed the new film’s three-hour run time and stated that he was not interested in hearing moviegoers’ complaints. However, in response to mounting criticism, James Cameron addressed the issue in an interview with Total Film magazine.
He stated that his “Avatar” sequel is significantly longer than the first film because, unlike the first, the sequel places a greater emphasis on “relationship and emotion.” James Cameron further stated that “The goal is to tell an extremely compelling story on an emotional basis. I would say the emphasis in the new film is more on character, more on story, more on relationships, more on emotion. We didn’t spend as much time on relationships and emotions in the first film as we do in the second film, and it’s a longer film, because there’s more characters to service. There’s more to the story.
“Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) from the first film as they navigate life with their children while dealing with an existential threat.