Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Movies | Tagged: avatar 4, Avatar 5

Avatar 4 And 5 Producer Says They Are "Full Speed Ahead"

For a moment, it seemed like Avatar 4 and 5 might not happen, but producer Rae Sanchini says as far as they're concerned, "We're full speed ahead."

Published Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:47:07 -0500

by Kaitlyn Booth

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Article Summary

Producer Rae Sanchini confirms Avatar 4 and 5 are moving forward at full speed after uncertainty.
Technological updates and production planning are key reasons for the extended sequel timeline.
Avatar 4 is scheduled for December 21, 2029, with Avatar 5 arriving in theaters December 19, 2031.
Despite Fire and Ash feeling like a finale, the Avatar franchise is far from over on Pandora.

When Avatar: Fire and Ash was released, there was a real sense of finality to the entire thing. It felt like a movie wrapping up a story that began three movies earlier. What it didn't feel like was a middle entry that could also support two more movies. We learned during the press run that we basically have a trilogy and a duo with the five Avatar movies, and that everyone involved seemed keen to make Avatar 4 and 5, but maybe they wouldn't. It sounds like things are really gearing up, at least, according to producer Rae Sanchini, who recently spoke to Inverse. It sounds like getting the technology up to date is part of the delay, but if you thought we were done with Pandora, we very much are not.

"We're really moving into a more generally accessible platform," Sanchini explains. "Right now we're figuring out the schedule. We're working hard on it right now, budgeting, scheduling, planning, building out our new pipeline for them. As far as we're concerned, we're full speed ahead."

: Avatar (2009) Poster. Photo by Courtesy of WETA – © 2007 Twentieth Century Fox – All Rights Reserved.

: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) Poster. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

: Photo by 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS © 2025 20th Century Studios

At the time of writing, Avatar 4 has a release date of December 21, 2029, and Avatar 5 has a release date of December 19. 2031. That is plenty of time for everyone to get their ducks in a row and even give director James Cameron a bit of a break from this film series, specifically.

Avatar: Fire and Ash – Summary, Cast List, Release Date

With Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na'vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na'vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. The film, which has a screenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and a story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno, also stars Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, and Kate Winslet. It was released in theaters on December 19, 2025.