James Cameron rarely misses.
Personally, he’s not my favorite director, but even I can’t deny his cultural relevance. He’s the talented force behind three of the top five box office earners of all time. I don’t care what you say — or what you think of Titanic or the Avatar franchise — that’s impressive.
The Avatar franchise is clearly Cameron’s future, with another three entries in the film series already slated for release over the next decade. The award-winning director is pouring his heart and soul into the stunningly realized fantasy franchise, and he’s got little time for anything else.
The Avatar franchise, in order
Only two Avatar movies are currently out, which makes this list pretty straightforward. Avatar: The Way of Water follows Avatar chronologically, which makes any viewing of the entire franchise nice and easy. You’ll want to start with the 2009 original, which sets down the origin story and lays out the core details of the universe, before diving into 2022’s The Way of Water, which serves as the next step in the journey.
Things will turn much more complicated when Avatar 3, 4, and 5 arrive in theaters, particularly as other canon stories, told through different mediums — like 2023’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, a video game — add new characters, lore, and complexities into the mix.
Where to stream Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water
Both Avatar and The Way of Water are currently available on streaming, so long as you subscribe to the right services. Viewers can take a journey through Pandora via either Disney Plus, where both films are currently streamable, or with a subscription to Max. Its likely that the impending continuations of the franchise will likewise land on these services, making the monthly cost of at least one well worth it for James Cameron fans.
