Three Reasons to Get Involved in the Avatar Fan Community
The AVATAR franchise has a long history of delays as James Cameron chases his perfect vision. Whether it was the initial 2012 "we were too ambitious" delay or the 2020 pandemic delay, fans of James Cameron's AVATAR have weathered their fair share of disappointments as they await the next installments in the franchise. With the arrival of The Way of Water in December, it seemed as though the tide was turning in favor of the fans. Disney, however, had other plans.
Avatar 3 has been delayed until 2025 as Disney re-evaluates its release schedule and makes room for two new Star Wars films in the 2025 theatrical year. In addition, the fourth and fifth installments in the film saga have been rescheduled to arrive in 2029 and 2031 respectively. For fans who saw the first film in 2009, that's a staggering 22 years between the first and last films in the series.
The lining is silver, however. The delays that plagued Avatar: The Way of Water ended up producing a masterpiece of a film that vastly exceeded its predecessor in scope and emotional depth. Cameron benefits from additional time to hone his vision and execution, and the fans reap the benefits as well. In addition, the added time provides fans more space to engage with the franchise at its calmest before building the hype back up when the next sequel is imminent. In fact, here are three reasons why now may very well be the best time to be an Avatar fan.
The Calm Between the Storms
The Way of Water brought an unprecedented resurgence of interest in the world of Pandora, and it's safe to say that things got quite, well, loud. As the hype fades and the noise settles, impactful discussion can once again take root. People can feel like they're being heard without having to compete with hundreds of other eager opinions. The extra year between films gives the Avatar fan community more time to be at its best: When able to foster real, lasting connections between people from all around the world.
If you're unsure where to find your voice as an Avatar fan, the Kelutral.org Discord server is the perfect place to dip your feet into the online conversation about the franchise. Whether you're just interested in discussing the films or diving deeper into the Na'vi cultures, Kelutral has topics and resources that you will find helpful.
Engaging Events
The Avatar fan community has a history of pulling out all the stops for fan events, and now there's even more time to dedicate to bringing people together. OmatiCon, an annual virtual fan convention in January will be making its return not once but twice before Avatar 3. Each year has exceeded the previous one in scale and scope, so it's certain to be twice as incredible as it is now by the time the next Avatar sequel hits theaters in 2025. In addition, this summer you can join Na'vi language teachers and other language learners for a first-of-its-kind learning experience called Na'vigation. The weekend-long boot camp serves as both an introduction to the Na'vi language from the Avatar films for fans who are only interested in it on a surface level, and a deep dive of practice and learning for fans who are already well invested in the language.
A Brand-New Way to Explore Pandora
Ubisoft's reveal of their upcoming Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora couldn't be more timely for Avatar fans dismayed by the sequel delays. The first-person action-adventure game promises to allow players to explore the living, breathing world of Pandora both alone and with a friend in two-player co-op.
The Avatar community is at its best when bringing people together, and Frontiers of Pandora is no exception. As the December 7th release date for Avatar: Frontiers draws ever closer, fans will be looking for ways to find other players to explore Pandora with, and Kelutral.org has them covered. Visit the unofficial Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora looking for group Discord server to connect with other players, plan co-op play, and share your discoveries once December 7th arrives.
While the last several days may have been a roller-coaster of emotions, there's still plenty to be excited about. Franchise delays are never expected, and but they are easier to weather together. Take heart, Avatar fan. When the franchise is quiet, the community excels. Makto ko!
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