Disney Confirms Surprising Avatar 2 Trailer Release With Doctor Strange 2

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Doctor Strange, Avatar 2

Amidst all the major developments from Marvel Studios and Warner Bros’ DC properties, 2022 will also bring a long-anticipated sequel from Disney with Avatar 2. James Cameron’s first intergalactic epic came in 2009, and even though there are plans for multiple sequels, those follow-up films have taken a long time to develop, although the wait is finally over.

Cameron is set to bring Avatar 2 to theaters on December 16, the very same day that DC will bring Shazam!: Fury of the Gods to the big screen. After the original film became the highest-grossing cinematic release of all time, expectations are high for what Cameron will do with the return to Jake Sully and Neytiri's story on Pandora.

Rumors pointed to fans getting the first look at the second Avatar film along with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, starting the movie's promotional tour a full seven months ahead of its premiere. Now, that's confirmed to be the case, although it comes with more surprising information than anybody expected.

Avatar 2 Trailer Attached to Doctor Strange Sequel

From CinemaCon 2022, Insider's Jason Guerrasio shared that the first full trailer for the Avatar sequel will debut exclusively in theaters in front of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The title for the film was also revealed to be Avatar: The Way of Water.

This trailer surprisingly won't release online until a later date, and it can only be seen in theaters before Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange sequel.

"AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER is the title of 2nd movie. The teaser we just saw will be seen before Doctor Strange and plays only in theaters. That means won’t be online, will be shown exclusively next week when Strange opens."

Doctor Strange 2 Ups the Ante with Avatar

Almost no movie releasing in the near future has had more build-up than the second Avatar outing, with the first one having debuted more than a dozen years ago. Now, Disney is making sure that fans get the sequel's first trailer as a full big-screen experience along with what should be the biggest new movie of the year to date.

When Doctor Strange 2 started its own promotional tour, its first trailer came exclusively in theaters as the post-credits scene from Spider-Man: No Way Home before it came online less than a week later. Bringing the first trailer for Avatar 2 will only make the next MCU outing that much more of a must-see event considering how long fans have waited for its debut.

Non-MCU fans who just want to see something from Avatar 2 will flock to see this movie with the trailer being a theater exclusive, especially over opening weekend when it first releases. The wait for it to come online shouldn't be too long, but that extra push over the first few days should be enough for Disney to maintain plenty of time in the spotlight.

The first trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water will premiere exclusively in theaters alongside Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which arrives on May 6.

- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.