Watch the Avatar films in order: Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). Release order and story order are the same; The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the first film.
- Titles
- 3
- Films
- 3
- Watch time
- 9 hours
- Box office
- $6.74 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.5
Avatar movies in release order
Here is every Avatar title in the order it came out, 2009 to 2025: 3 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avatar | 2009 | Film | 2h 42m | 7.9 |
| 2 | Avatar: The Way of Water | 2022 | Film | 3h 12m | 7.5 |
| 3 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | 2025 | Film | 3h 18m | 7.2 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For Avatar, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Avatar and go in release order.
The whole thing is 9 hours. At two hours a night that is about 5 evenings.
The three highest rated: Avatar (7.9), Avatar: The Way of Water (7.5), and Avatar: Fire and Ash (7.2).
Every Avatar movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2009 · Film · 2h 42m
Avatar
In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.
Why it matters: Jake Sully on Pandora; the place to start.
- Starring
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver
- Director
- James Cameron
- Box office
- $2.92 billion on a $237 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 81%
No. 02 · 2022 · Film · 3h 12m
Avatar: The Way of Water
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
Why it matters: The Sully family flees to the sea clans, years later.
- Starring
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver
- Director
- James Cameron
- Box office
- $2.33 billion on a $460 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 76%
No. 03 · 2025 · Film · 3h 18m
Avatar: Fire and Ash
In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully and Neytiri face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na'vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang. Jake's family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
Why it matters: The Ash People enter the war.
- Starring
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver
- Director
- James Cameron
- Box office
- $1.49 billion on a $350 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 66%
Avatar box office and budgets
The 3 Avatar films with reported numbers have grossed $6.74 billion worldwide on about $1.05 billion in combined budgets, roughly 6.4 times what they cost. The biggest is Avatar at $2.92 billion, 43% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.33 billion) and Avatar: Fire and Ash ($1.49 billion).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Avatar, which made 12 times its $237 million budget. The weakest was Avatar: Fire and Ash at 4.2 times its $350 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Avatar movies
Across 3 rated titles, Avatar averages 7.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is Avatar at 7.9, then Avatar: The Way of Water (7.5) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (7.2). At the bottom: Avatar: Fire and Ash (7.2) and Avatar: The Way of Water (7.5).
- Avatar7.9 · RT 81%
- Avatar: The Way of Water7.5 · RT 76%
- Avatar: Fire and Ash7.2 · RT 66%
Who appears in the most Avatar movies
Sam Worthington leads with 3 appearances as Jake Sully and Jake, ahead of Zoe Saldaña (3) and Sigourney Weaver (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Worthington | Jake Sully / Jake | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Zoe Saldaña | Neytiri | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Sigourney Weaver | Dr. Grace Augustine / Kiri | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Stephen Lang | Colonel Miles Quaritch / Quaritch | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Joel David Moore | Norm Spellman / Norm | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| CCH Pounder | Mo'at | 3 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Giovanni Ribisi | Parker Selfridge | 2 | Avatar (2009) to Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) |
| Kate Winslet | Ronal | 2 | Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Cliff Curtis | Tonowari | 2 | Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
| Edie Falco | General Frances Ardmore / General Ardmore | 2 | Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) |
Avatar directors and creators
1 filmmaker has directed or created Avatar; James Cameron has the most, with 3.
- James CameronAvatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
How long it takes to watch every Avatar movie
All 3 titles add up to 9 hours. That is about 5 two-hour evenings, or 1 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Avatar: Fire and Ash at 3h 18m.
The 3 best rated films: Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Everything takes about 10 days.
Avatar 4 is out December 21, 2029. Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Upcoming Avatar movies
Common questions
What order should I watch the Avatar movies in?
Watch the Avatar films in order: Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). Release order and story order are the same; The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the first film.
How many Avatar movies and shows are there?
There are 3 titles in the Avatar franchise: 3 films and 0 series, released from 2009 to 2025. 2 more are announced: Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.
How long does it take to watch all the Avatar movies?
About 9 hours for all 3 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Avatar title in chronological order?
Avatar, set in 2154. In release order the first is Avatar (2009).
What is the next Avatar release?
Avatar 4, out December 21, 2029.
What is the best Avatar movie?
By IMDb score, Avatar (2009) at 7.9, followed by Avatar: The Way of Water at 7.5.
What is the highest-grossing Avatar movie?
Avatar (2009), with $2.92 billion worldwide. Avatar films have made $6.74 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Avatar movies?
Sam Worthington, in 3 of them as Jake Sully.
What is the longest Avatar movie?
Avatar: Fire and Ash, at 3h 18m.
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