Most film-lovers can think of an instance– or even multiple– where they loved a movie so much that they eagerly awaited the sequel, only to be let down. As most people are aware, Hollywood is an industry aimed at making guaranteed money, which is what makes creating sequels to successful films so popular in the first place.
However, the desire to release another successful film in a universe that fans already love, is not always a guaranteed accomplishment. When the pressure to duplicate a successful film is not approached with the correct story goal, perception, or timeline, the film can fall flat in relation to the original, which it will undoubtedly be compared to.
Many times, the details or characters that fans appreciate don’t carry over to the sequel or are changed, which causes fans to lose interest. Besides that, sometimes new creative teams are recruited to create the sequels which can inevitably change the structure and tone of a world, altering the story significantly to fans.
This points out how important consistency across sequels or prequels is. On the other hand, repeating the same story in a new format is often too similar to the original and fans are bored by it. A sequel film must find the right balance of new information and maintain the lovable signature elements of the first film.
One notable example of a sequel that achieves this balance so well that many fans have even argued was better than the original, is Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Most folks might assume that the concept of a cyborg bodyguard is an idea that would easily be stretched too thin for a sequel, but this movie proved them wrong.
Aside from being considered a classic at this point, Terminator 2 also received fantastic reviews and is often studied for the success it achieved among returning fans. In fact, many lists that focus on the most well-done movie sequels in history include Terminator 2. This fact alone makes it a great comparative for the potential that James Cameron’s soon-to-come Avatar sequel has. Most viewers were enamored with the stunning graphics and vibrant world created in the 2009 movie, Avatar.
It certainly helps that James Cameron has already proven his abilities to create a successful and memorable film, and his capability in mastering a sequel so his involvement, alone, gives fans hope for the second Avatar. That said, experience and reputation aside, it will likely be where Cameron focuses the story that decides the fate of the film.
Because the theme was such a substantial part of the original movie, it needs to also be a large component of the sequel, but with either a different focus or a different perspective. The message of the theme is essential to both the story and the world of Avatar and is thus a factor that must be preserved. The original film had a heavy emotional impact as a result of the way it brought to life a new race of beings that viewers had no prior connection to but grew to love.
It has already been revealed that the second film will have a similar storyline (in terms of the Na’vi having to protect their resources) which has some fans concerned that the sequel will feel repetitive as a result. That said, Cameron has commented that the sequel, though clearly connected to the world of the original film, can function as a story on its own. This means that viewers that have not seen the first film can watch the sequel and not be confused or missing essential pieces to the story.
Cameron has also commented that he intends for there to be even more sequels to come– three more, making five Avatar movies in total. This is another element of the plans that has fans feeling skeptical. Like the Terminator franchise, Cameron plans for the Avatar franchise to span beyond the decade it began in, but sometimes such drawn out franchises can fizzle out or lose their spark. Costing companies more than they were worth. Considering the extravagance of the Avatar world with its impeccable graphics and colors, this concern is likely something on the minds of producers.
Just as the Terminator films that followed the first sequel were not as much of a hit, Avatarruns the risk of not providing enough new story to be stretched over that many films. However, that’s the case for any movie franchise that’s not adapted from another source and plans to cover multiple films worth of story. So whether or not the movies that come after Avatar: The Way of Water will be successful, is a query for the future. There is certainly plenty of room in the world set up by the first film to suggest that the 2022 sequel has a lot of potential.
Until Avatar: The Way of Water is released, fans must eagerly await more information to get a glimpse at what the film will hold. There’s no doubt that if this sequel and the ones that will follow it are successes, this franchise will be a significant staple in this later part of Cameron’s career. For his sake, and for the sake of fans that fell in love with the world of the Na’vi people, here’s hoping that the potential is something that’s lived up to.