Set aside a few hours for James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, as the upcoming film has been confirmed to be longer than the first chapter.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the follow-up to 2009's Avatar is set to last half an hour more compared to the first film, with a runtime of three hours and ten minutes (credits included).
13 years in the making, The Way of Water will grace our cinema screens in December.
Related: Avatar has a new credit scene teasing The Way of Water
Cameron's next opus is part of a bigger project, consisting of four sequels to be released every other year until 2028. Together with The Way of Water, the third (currently untitled) movie has completed principal photography, while the fourth has filmed its opening act and the fifth is in pre-production with several cast members expected to return.
The Way of Water sees some familiar faces returning to Pandora, including Zoe Saldaña's Na'vi heroine Neytiri and her partner Jake Sully, who's left behind his human body to become a Na'vi.
What to Read Next
Related: Avatar director James Cameron slates Marvel and DC characters
Sigourney Weaver also features, albeit in a different role than the one she played in Avatar. The Alien star originally played Dr Grace Augustine, a human who sided with the Na'vi and died during the conflict.
In The Way of Water, she returns in the brand new role of Kiri, Neytiri and Jake's teenage daughter, while Britain Dalton plays their younger son, Lo'ak.
Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet are set to play the roles of Tonowari and Ronal, part of the reef people clan of Metkayina.
The film blends underwater filming and motion capture technology, an ambitious endeavour which explains the long wait. Cameron has often spoken about waiting for the technology to be good enough for him to make The Way of Water, despite worrying about whether it will resonate with the audience after more than a decade.
Avatar: The Way of Water is out in cinemas on December 16.
Best Entertainment and Tech Deals
Coronation Street X Joanie - Gilroy Retro Newton And Ridley Sweatshirt
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
