Avatar 2 debuts first look and is titled Avatar: The Way of Water

Update: since the original writing of this article, Avatar 2 has displayed its first look footage at CinemaCon. Read below for details.

CinemaCon, an industry event where various studios talk up their current projects and future plans to investors, is happening right now in Las Vegas. Yesterday, Warner Bros. stole the show by announcing that The Batman 2 was officially moving forward with star Robert Pattinson and director Matt Reeves both returning.

Today, the big thing everyone is on the lookout for is Avatar 2. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s blockbuster film is expected to debut its first look at the event during Disney’s presentation on Wednesday.

Clues pile up that the Avatar 2 first look is coming

Avatar 2 is scheduled for a December 16, 2022 release date, and despite the numerous delays the film has faced over the years, 20th Century president Steve Asbell has insisted that the sci-fi epic is coming this year “for real.” With the release date just over eight months away, we’re due to see our first footage. THR reports that the Colosseum — the main theater at CinemaCon — has been stocked with thousands of 3D glasses and several state of the art video projectors which are capable of 4k and 3D playback.

The second Avatar movie has already been a big talking point at this year’s CinemaCon. Yesterday, president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners John Fithian said that Avatar 2 will ship out with the largest variety of formats “in the history of movies.” “We are talking about high resolution, high frame rates, 3D, IMAX, PLF, different sound systems and in 160 different languages,” he said. “[James Cameron] is working very closely with our members around the world to show his movie in the best possible way,” he says. “Jim is uniquely driven. He’s brilliant.”

"There may be only a couple hundreds screens in [some of the formats] but he wants [Avatar 2] on those screens. It’s time to make sure your light levels are correct and everything about the picture is correct. We’re excited about it."

Beyond that, projector maker Christie and Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment issued various statements about their 16-year partnership, which has been essential to the creation of Avatar 2. The projector company has developed “pods” that allow Cameron and his team to view the 3D elements of the film while they’re working on it.

“Christie has been a good partner. We’re using their projection systems at all our production sites, in the U.S. and New Zealand,” Cameron said in a statement. “Wherever I am, I can view progress on my films in high quality stereo 3D, just as the audience will see the movies in theaters when they come out. This is essential to our working process.”

So yeah, Avatar 2 is getting all sorts of buzz at CinemaCon, and it’ll be shocking if we don’t see anything from it during the event.

Update: Avatar 2 reveals first look at CinemaCon

Since the writing of this article, Avatar 2 did indeed debut its first footage at CinemaCon. Journalist Erik Davis was in attendance at the event, and tweeted that, “Avatar 2 is called Avatar: The Way of Water. The first footage was STUNNING. The footage we just watched will play only in theaters with #DoctorStrange next week. A week later it will be online.”

In addition to the confirming the new title for the film, Davis also reported that producer Jon Landau confirmed that the original Avatar will see a theatrical re-release this September ahead of the sequel. “Each sequel will play out as a standalone movie,” Landau said.

Continuing with everything we’d heard about the various versions of the movie that would be shipping, a pre-filmed message from James Cameron was shown ahead of the Avatar 2 footage. “We wanted to push the limits of what theaters can do,” the director said.

Given how revolutionary the first Avatar was, we don’t doubt he’ll be good for his word. If this report is correct, the first trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water will be seen alongside Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which drops into theaters next week.

Michelle Yeoh talks role in Avatar 2

Speaking of Avatar 2, star Michelle Yeoh recently talked a bit about her role in the movie, where she plays a scientist named Dr. Karina Mogue.

“So, yes, I am in the Avatar sequels and as you know we can’t really talk very much about it,” Yeoh told Entertainment Weekly. “But it’s James Cameron! Come on! I would be the tea lady for James Cameron! We shot for a few weeks, and I was so impressed with the work that he’s done, the work that he’s doing, the energy. He’s a genius, he’s a walking genius. And I really really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to go back soon, I hope.”

Yeoh has been featuring in films and movies left and right of late. In addition to Avatar 2, she stars in the film Everything Everywhere All At Once and leads the cast of The Witcher: Blood Origin prequel series. So we’ll be seeing a lot of her this year.

Avatar 2 is slated to hit theaters on December 16.

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