What Year James Cameron's Avatar Movies Are Set In

Summary Avatar movies explore a future where humans deplete Earth's resources, as seen in the world of Pandora.

Sequels introduce new conflicts and character arcs, building off Cameron's intricate world-building.

Films leap years into the future, with upcoming sequels pushing the timeline even further ahead.

James Cameron's Avatar movies are set in a dystopian future, where humans have depleted Earth's resources and need to move outward for survival. The movies are set in the fictional world of Pandora, which is home to tall blue aliens known as the Na’vi, who, unlike humans, care a lot about preserving their ecosystem. The original 2009 film follows Jake Sully falling in love with a Na'vi woman, Neytiri, while the 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, explores how Jake and Neytiri with their new family continue to brave the human colonization of Pandora.

The massive critical and commercial success of both films led to the announcement of several upcoming Avatar movies, including Avatar 3, Avatar 4, and Avatar 5, slated for release between 2025 and 2031. All these films will continue to develop Cameron's complex and intricate world-building established in these two films. In particular, Avatar 2 set up the franchise's future with its stunning visual effects, introducing new conflicts, and building more character arcs. Given the number of movies the franchise will soon cover, it's not surprising that they also cover an extensive time period.

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The First Avatar Movie Is Set In 2154

All The Events Of The Film Unfold Within That Year Itself

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The initial 2009 Avatar film takes place in the 22nd century, over a hundred years into the future. It is set in 2154, meaning that Jake Sully's flashbacks from his time on Earth take place in 2148, as it takes six years to travel from Earth to Pandora. The entire movie takes place within a relatively short time frame, so all the events unfold within the year 2154 itself. Avatar focuses on how Jake, who is initially tasked with gathering intelligence for the Resources Development Administration (RDA) to mine unobtanium, infiltrates the indigenous Na'vi people but gradually forms a deep bond with them.

Jake forms a particularly close relationship with the Na'vi princess, Neytiri. Over the course of the narrative, he becomes torn between his loyalty to the Na'vi and his mission for the RDA, ultimately leading the Na'vi in a battle against the RDA's oppressive forces. In the climactic conflict, Jake helps the Na'vi defeat the RDA and permanently transfers his consciousness to his avatar, fully embracing his new life as one of the Na'vi. This ending forms the basis for Avatar 2.

Avatar 2: The Way Of Water Takes Place 14 Years Later

It Is Set In The Year 2168

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Avatar 2: The Way Of Water then jumps 14 years from the first film, taking place in the year 2168. It sees Jake Sully and Neytiri, now parents, facing renewed human threats as the RDA returns to Pandora. To protect their family, they seek refuge with the ocean-dwelling Metkayina clan, exploring Pandora's underwater world. As they adapt to this new environment, conflict escalates when the RDA targets the oceanic regions for exploitation. The Na'vi join forces with the Metkayina to defend their home in a climactic battle, which ends with Neteyam's tragic death and the Na'vi's hard-fought victory.

Future Avatar Movies Will Push The Timeline Even Further Into The Future

There Will Be A 6-Year Time Jump In Avatar 4

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"And we even did part of movie four," Cameron added, "because our young characters are all going to have a big time jump in movie four."

Subsequent Avatar movies will further push the timeline into the future. The Avatar 3 release is slated for December 2025. In an interview with People Magazine, James Cameron confirmed that "three is right on track" for release on December 19, 2025. In fact, he explained that they shot most of Avatar 3 concurrently with the shooting of Avatar: The Way of Water. "And we even did part of movie four," Cameron added, "because our young characters are all going to have a big time jump in movie four."

"We see them and then we go away for six years and we come back," he clarified about the time jump in Avatar 4. "And so the part where we come back is the part we haven't shot yet. So we'll start on that after three is released." No further information is known about the timeline of future Avatar movies. Cameron has yet to shoot the remainder of Avatar 4 and all of Avatar 5. Avatar 4 is on track for its December. 21, 2029, release, while Avatar 5 is currently slated for December 2031.