The Way of Water Star Teases Shocking Avatar 3 Twist

Avatar: The Way of Water star Jack Champion has teased a shocking plot twist and further Pandora culture exploration in Avatar 3.

Just a few days after Avatar: The Way of Water took the December box office by storm, star Jack Champion has teased a shocking turn in the story for Avatar 3. James Cameron’s sequel is on track to pass the $500 million threshold less than a week after hitting theaters on December 15, more than $300 million more than the original Avatar made at this point in its theatrical run. The second installment in the Avatar franchise introduced Champion’s character, Spider, to the universe as one of the film’s few human characters. New information is revealed throughout the film that establishes Spider’s ties to the 2009 film and his importance in future installments.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Champion revealed what his first reaction was when he learned the details of Avatar 3‘s script. The 18-year-old star described a twist in the story as a wrecking ball that will subvert many fans’ expectations, and also teased that the film will dive deeper into the different regions and cultures of Pandora, while also get better in adding more depth to the characters and the world that the movies take place in. See what Champion shared below:

I was very shocked by [Avatar 3]. It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing. You think you know where it’s going, but then a wrecking ball comes. So you’re completely like, ‘Oh wow, I never thought that would’ve happened.’ You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures. So I think it’s even better than Avatar 2. Collectively, they’ll each get better.

Related: Real Science Behind Avatar: The Way Of Water’s Anti-Aging Drug

Everything We Know About Avatar 3

Fans won’t have to wait nearly as long for the next Avatar film this time around. Avatar 3 already has a set theatrical release date of December 2024, almost exactly two years after Avatar: The Way of Water‘s release. Series stars Champion, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Britain Dalton, among others, are confirmed to reprise their roles. It also seems likely that Kate Winslet will also return after revealing in an interview that she was confused at times about which Avatar film they were shooting scenes for, as James Cameron has been shooting several Avatar movies at the same time.

Avatar: The Way of Water set the precedent for even more surprises with the anti-aging drug that came into play and was touched upon further in Jake Sully’s narration at the end of the film. Worthington’s character says that one borrows energy at birth but must return that energy upon death. The plot point has many implications, including the possibility that one’s life energy can be restored. The return of the Sky People in the sequel with a more sinister motive didn’t result in a massive action sequence at the end of the film, but the revelations within the movie and a clear divide between some of the main characters set the stage for what could be a much larger-scale conflict in Avatar 3. On a more personal level, further exploration of Spider’s relationship with his surrogate Na’vi family after saving his father is sure to be a big focus.

Despite the film being two years away from release, principal photography on the project is already 95 percent completed, according to producer Jon Landau, and they have already filmed the first act of Avatar 4. James Cameron’s vision is being put into action, with Avatar 5 said to be the one that will drive home the story of this current cast of characters. The fifth installment is still roughly six years away from hitting theaters, though, so Avatar 3 will be the focus over the next two years, and Champion’s comments foreshadow an unpredictable shift in the overall story that could fundamentally change the audience’s understanding of the world.

More: Avatar 3,4, & 5 Have Already Avoided James Cameron’s Worst Sequel MistakeSource: THR