New Avatar 2 Set Photos Show Off The Sequel’s Underwater Filming

Avatar Jake on the cliffs, ready to capture a creature

While filming on the the Avatar sequels has been paused for the time being, there’s still some movement to be had with James Cameron’s first sequel to his blockbuster hit. Indeed, there’s been plenty of content to show off when it comes Avatar 2’s production, thanks to some photos being shared from the days that saw 2021’s hotly anticipated sequel off and running; the latest of which show off the underwater filming process.

James Cameron’s work on Avatar 2, as well as the other three sequels, has teased the eventual usage of filming in underwater environments for quite some time now. So the photos recently released by the official Twitter account for the Avatar series are a long held promise fulfilled:

See more

Shown giving his directorial guidance to the actors on the aquatic set of his film, James Cameron is seen sitting on a catwalk above Avatar 2’s fishbowl style set. Before you ask why he’s not on the same level as his actors, the answer is that the white layer on the top of the water is actually not a solid surface. Rather, it’s a layer holding a bunch of inflatable balls in place, in the name of correctly lighting the shot.

In all honestly, seeing this set is like seeing the Avatar trailer for the first time. After what seems like an eternity, or at least almost a decade, of waiting for Avatar 2, the wheels are in motion. These photos are pleasant reminders, while also important kindling for the fires that will, without question, be sparked into full hype flames once Disney feels it’s time to start stoking the fans up nice and hot.

A gradual pace will be required to make sure Avatar 2’s marketing campaign doesn’t peak too early, especially with the uncertainty about whether or not current events will spark another release date push. But this set of snaps comes a good time, which isn’t too long after a previous post showed off actors Sigourney Weaver and Joel David Moore returning to their roles of Dr. Grace Augustine and Dr. Norm Spellman, respectively.

While the context to their returns is absent, especially with Dr. Augustine herself being a spirit downloaded into the planet of Pandora before Avatar was said and done, it’s nice to see some familiar faces back together for Avatar 2’s journey. A lot of things may be up in the air at the moment, but at least one of the constants that we can hang onto is that the world of Pandora and its moons is still in the works, and it’ll be in front of us all in the not too distant future.

As it currently stands, Avatar 2 is going to be released on December 17, 2021, with each of its subsequent sequels dropping the weekend before Christmas every other year after.

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.