Zoe Saldaña offered a surprising filming update to fans regarding the production of the follow-up to Avatar: The Way of Water.
Saldaña's track record when it comes to picking franchises is nothing short of impressive—her time in The Way of Water added yet another film to her resume that is one of the top highest-grossing movies ever.
The actress could already be set to add yet another box office hit to that list, with her third adventure to Pandora in the bag.
This past January, Cameron claimed the third Avatar film is "essentially in post-production" and shared that they have completed filming "the first act" of Avatar 4. Before that, in November of 2022, the director told The Hollywood Reporter that the third film was "all shot."
Despite those words, however, it seems Saldana and the rest of the team still have a little more work to do on the next entry in the franchise.
Avatar 3 Has More to Film
While speaking with Canal+ at the 2023 Oscars, via Twitter user @PandoranVault, Avatar: The Way of Water star Zoe Saldaña revealed that she's not entirely done with the third entry in the series yet.
When asked where she was in the production of the other sequels in the franchise, Saldana surprisingly admitted that "[they're] going to go back this summer and finish [Avatar 3] up:"
"Well, we're here for two, celebrating two. I hope it makes best picture. And 'Avatar 3', we're going to go back this summer and finish that up. Because, allegedly, that's coming out in a year."
Finishing Up Avatar 3 or Adding More?
While the news is initially surprising, adding more to a project later in the production pipeline has become a common habit in the entertainment industry.
The cast and crew are likely doing what is akin to the reshoots Marvel Studios does for its many movies. It could be as simple as getting some insert shots, or they might be reworking an entire chunk of the film.
James Cameron is also likely making adjustments based on feedback from The Way of Water, such as potentially adding even more of Lo'ak in the third installment, something he seemingly teased earlier this year.
So what can fans expect from a third Avatar film? For one, "the Na'vi [will be shown] in a different light," likely in the form of the incoming fire-themed tribe.
Leading the group will be Oona Chaplin as Varang, the leader of the new group of Pandora natives.
Audiences will also be able to experience brand new biomes, with James Cameron having previously teased both desert and polar regions. If the third entry capitalizes on exploring new parts of Pandora, as the second film did, fans will undoubtedly love it.
Avatar: The Way of Water is still playing in theaters worldwide, while Avatar 3 is set to debut on December 20, 2024.
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