Summary
- Avatar's success is undeniable, but lacks spinoff TV show like rivals Star Wars and MCU.
- The TV show format would suit Avatar's long runtimes and enhance storytelling.
- Adding a TV show could further the story of the war on Pandora in new and compelling ways.
It's impossible to deny the commercial success of the Avatar movie franchise so far, but it's still short of something that some of its biggest competitors already have. Considering the triumph of the movies, it's arguably quite surprising that there are currently only two installments despite the first film's release coming way back in 2009. However, the impressive and innovative filmmaking techniques take time to develop and execute.
Although there was a 13-year gap between the first two films, cast of Avatar 2 also helped the sequel perform brilliantly at the box office. While the movies are undeniably successful, some of the franchise's biggest rivals have made use of a storytelling device that Avatar has so far ignored.
Avatar: All 20 Na'vi Clans Explained (Cultures, Locations & Inspirations)
While the first Avatar movie focused primarily on the Omaticaya, the Avatar franchise has explored many more Na'vi Clans in the sequels and tie-ins.
The Avatar Franchise Still Doesn't Have A Spinoff TV Show
Avatar hasn't matched the storytelling framework of some of its biggest rivals
The concept of a spinoff show isn't anything new, but it's something that certainly seems to have increased in prominence in recent times. For instance, Star Wars and the MCU are two of Avatar's biggest rivals when it comes to box office success, and both franchises have no shortage of spinoff TV shows to extend their respective universes. However, Avatar's main source of storytelling has continued to be through its feature films.
Avatar has already added to its canon outside the world of cinema.
That being said, Avatar has already added to its canon outside the world of cinema. For instance, the video game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora connects to The Way of Water and the rest of the already-established lore. The franchise also includes a run of comic books that align themselves with the main continuity. Nevertheless, TV shows are the most accessible of these alternative mediums, so it's unusual that Avatar has yet to make the journey to the small screen.
The Long Runtimes Of The Avatar Movies Would Be Well-Suited To A TV Show Format
Cameron's long tales could work better if split into shorter segments
With the average runtime of both Avatar movies clocking in at around three hours each, it's clear that James Cameron has a long story to tell. TV shows are often a more viable alternative for long-form storytelling, not only because they generally allow for greater amounts of screen time, but also due to the fact that dividing an epic tale into shorter episodes can make it more digestible for the audience.
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Avatar 5 is set to feature the Na'vi making their way to Earth, and while this is an exciting prospect, it remains unclear how they will get there.
While an Avatar TV show would stand a good chance of doing well, the length of the movies doesn't seem to negatively affect the franchise's success. Nonetheless, adding a show into the mix to help further the story of the war on Pandora would still be a great addition to James Cameron's sci-fi saga. Avatar may not necessarily need a spinoff TV show, but it wouldn't go amiss either.
The first two Avatar movies can be streamed now on Disney+. The next three movies are hitting cinemas in the December months of 2025, 2029, and 2031.
