'Avatar' Sequels Set Photo Reveals Part Of Massive New Vehicle Called The Sea Dragon

Avatar was released all the way back in 2009, and here we are coming to the end of 2019 and we still haven't seen a shred of footage from any of the sequels that have been in the works for years. They've been pushed back over and over again, but every now and then, we at least get to hear that progress is being made on these movies being directed by James Cameron. In fact, the official Avatar account on Twitter has announced that live-action production on the sequels has officially wrapped for 2019, and to celebrate, they've provided a new Avatar sequels photo revealing a section of massive sea vessel.

Here's the new Avatar sequels photo released on Twitter over the weekend:

Avatar Sequels Set Photo

At first, this looks like a a movie set in the middle of a warehouse on a studio backlot somewhere where a couple smaller sea vessels are being used for filming. However, as the tweet accompanying this photo explained, this entire platform is the actual set of the back portion of a ship called the Sea Dragon, described as a "massive mothership that carries an array of other sea-going craft in the sequels." So that boat we can see in back is actually being housed on another much bigger boat. And we're guessing that vehicle towards the front that appears to be in a pool is some kind of submersible.

You'll also notice that the crew of this big ship is wearing a protective mask connected to a breathing apparatus. That would imply that wherever this ship is located, it's an environment where humans can't breathe the air. That likely means this ship is on Pandora, but we don't know for sure since it's entirely possible to travel to another world in one of the four sequels that are planned.

Finally, another interesting detail is what appears to be some kind of harpoon on the deck of this ship that is painted blue. That item will probably be replaced with visual effects when the shot is completed in post-production, but we're wondering why that's the case when almost everything else on the ship, including a full-size boat, is there practically. Perhaps the designs haven't been finalized yet?

The Avatar sequels are bringing back the original movie's cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, and Matt Gerald. But there are several new cast members in the mix as well, including Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Vin Diesel, Jemaine Clement, and Oona Chaplin. Plus, there's a whole slate of young actors playing Na'vi children in the movie too.

Avatar 2 is slated to arrive in theaters on December 17, 2021, and Avatar 3 will follow on December 22, 2023. If those two movies are successful at the box office, then James Cameron will continue with Avatar 4 on December 19, 2025, and Avatar 5 will finish the franchise on December 17, 2027, nearly 20 years after the original film was released. Let's see if humanity can make it that long.