Sigourney Weaver Drops Bombshell: Avatar 3 Release Date in Jeopardy?

Sigourney Weaver recently provided an update on Avatar 3 amidst conflicting reports about its filming status. The sequel was originally greenlit by Fox and is now being spearheaded by Disney under the 20th Century Studios brand. While production on Avatar 3 was conducted simultaneously with the Oscar-winning sequel, The Way of Water, its status has been largely unclear in recent months. Weaver clarified that while some additional filming will take place in the new year, it is unlikely to involve whole new scenes, putting to rest any confusion surrounding the project.

I anticipate going back in January to do some refining, rather than shooting entirely new scenes. James Cameron has a lot of material and loves to shoot, so it's likely just a matter of tweaking a few moments and providing additional footage to enhance the overall edit. I can't say for sure what exactly we'll be doing, but it's possible we'll be capturing some shots that he didn't get quite right the first time. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any footage yet as it's all highly confidential. When I return in January, I may be given a glimpse of about 20 minutes worth of material, but aside from that, I'm just as clueless as everyone else.

The release date for Avatar 3 remains a mystery as updates from James Cameron and Zoe Saldaña vary. Cameron claimed in 2020 that the movie was "95 percent complete" and filming was set to wrap up in December of that year, while Saldaña recently stated that production is only "70 percent" finished.

Avatar 3 is currently in a stage where some additional work is required before it can be released. Unfortunately, the ongoing WGA writers strike may prevent filming from resuming this summer. Cameron is also a writer on the movie, so any additional shooting is tentatively scheduled for January 2024, unless there are further delays from the movement. The delay raises the question of whether Avatar 3 will experience a release date delay, as the amount of visual effects work that goes into Cameron's movies may be a factor in whether additional filming necessitates CGI. However, fans of the franchise are likely willing to wait if necessary, as Avatar: The Way of Water was a critical and commercial success after a 13-year wait.