Avatar 2: The Way of the Water, the long-awaited sequel to the first Avatar movie made in 2009, was released on December 16, 2022. Since then, it has generated an astonishing $1.9 billion in ticket sales worldwide. This ranks Avatar 2 as the no.7 highest-grossing film of all time – right behind Spiderman: No Way Home. 

The sequel had big shoes to fill, as the original Avatar movie was the highest-grossing film of its time back in 2009. The first Avatar movie is set in the future on a distant planet called Pandora. Humans have come to Pandora in search of a valuable mineral called unobtanium. The humans, led by Colonel Miles Quaritch, are at odds with the native Pandora inhabitants, the Na’vi. The main character, Jake Sully, is a paraplegic marine who is sent to Pandora as part of a research team. He is given a Na’vi body, or avatar, and sent to live among the tribe in order to learn their ways and gain their trust. Jake eventually falls in love with a female Na’vi warrior named Neytiri and becomes embroiled in the conflict between the humans and the Na’vi. The movie follows Jake’s journey as he must choose between his loyalty to the humans and his growing connection to the Na’vi. In the end, Jake joins the Na’vi in their fight against the humans and ultimately helps defeat the human military force. The success of the first movie generated a lot of excitement and anticipation for the sequel.

Avatar 2 picks up several years after the events of the first movie. Jake and Neytiri have settled into life on Pandora and have started a family. The humans are back on Pandora to extract the remaining unobtanium, but this time they have a new leader who is willing to negotiate with the Na’vi. However, when a new threat emerges, Jake and Neytiri must use all of their knowledge of Pandora, as well as the help of new allies, to defend their home and the people they love. The movie also explores the concept of “The Way of the Water” which is the connection of all living things on Pandora and the balance that must be maintained. The movie follows Jake, Neytiri, and their allies’ journey as they must face new challenges and enemies to save their home, the people they love and the balance of Pandora.

The movie took a long time to make because director James Cameron is known for being meticulous in his filmmaking process, and he wanted to ensure that the sequel lived up to the high expectations set by the first film. He also wanted to develop new technologies and techniques to create the world of Pandora and its inhabitants in a more realistic and immersive way. 

The movie received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, who praised the visual effects, storytelling, and performances. Alex Williams (24) said, “I really liked watching Avatar, especially in 3D. It looked super realistic and the story was very good too.” Being over three hours long, the movie has plenty of time to create a fantastic story with well-developed characters. 

 The success of Avatar 2 can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the strong fanbase of the first movie, positive reviews, a favorable release date, and the use of new technologies and formats that enhanced the movie-watching experience, which helped it become one of the most successful movies of all time. Maybe next time we won’t have to wait 12 years for the next installment of the franchise.