Jon Landau reveals why they've already filmed Avatar 4's first act

Avatar: The Way of Water
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Producer Jon Landau has revealed why act I of Avatar 4 has already been filmed.

"We were not just filming Avatar 2, we were actually filming and capturing for 2, 3, and the first act of movie 4," Landau told the audience at a press for the Avatar: The Way of Water digital release (H/T Screen Rant). "Truth be told, there's a time cut after the end of the first act [of Avatar 4] and we needed to get all the kids before they got older."

"We’ve completed most of the first act of ‘Avatar 4’ and there were logistical reasons why we needed to do that," Landau told Variety at the Busan International Film Festival back in October 2022. "We’ve designed most of the whole movie for ‘Avatar 4’ but we haven’t actually filmed all of it – just the first act. With each sequel, we’re going to introduce audiences to new cultures and new biomes. We don’t leave behind the cultures that we’ve met." 

Avatar 3 is reportedly set to introduce a new fire species also known as the 'ash people.'

Lauren Milici
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.