Not even Pandora is safe from the coronavirus.

Disney has just announced numerous changes to its upcoming release calendar in the months and years ahead due to the pandemic, and that includes pushing back every one of James Cameron’s four Avatar sequels. They were previously slated to begin a year from this Christmas; instead the sequels will not begin to roll out in theaters until at least December of 2022.

Here are all the films and their new release dates:

  • Avatar 2: 12/16/22 (previously 12/17/21)
  • Avatar 3: 12/20/24 (previously 12/22/23)
  • Avatar 4: 12/18/26 (previously 12/19/25)
  • Avatar 5: 12/22/28 (previously 12/17/27)

In a statement posted to Twitter, James Cameron wrote:

Prior to the COVID-19, everything was on track to bring you the first sequel in December of 2021. Unfortunately, due to the impact that the pandemic has had on our schedule it is no longer possible for us to make that date.

This is not the first time these movies have been pushed back. Avatar 2 was first announced with a projected 2014 release date. Then at one point, there were going to be three Avatar sequels released back-to-back-to-back in 2016, 2017, and 2018. (Spoiler alert: That did not happen.) Back in 2016, ScreenCrush had articles about how the movie was delayed “again” — and that’s four years ago, without a single released Avatar sequel.

Whenever these movies do come out, they will once again star Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang, plus new additions like Edie Falco, Cliff Curtis, and Kate Winslet. Cameron’s already spent years shooting and motion capturing the movies; they’re sure to look like nothing anyone has ever seen before, if anyone ever actually sees them. Bring on 2022! (No, seriously. Bring it on. 2020 sucks, we’re ready for it to be over.)

Here’s Jim Cameron’s full message on the news:

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