Avatar: The Way of Water

Original characters in an invented universe; no established characters swapped.

Strong female characters like Neytiri and Ronal, but Jake remains the central hero; no message diminishing men.

• Neytiri is a fierce warrior alongside Jake
• Ronal, the female Tsunami spiritual leader, fights

No LGBTQ+ characters or themes present.

Diverse human cast fits a near-future military/scientific setting; the Na'vi are a fictional species.

Environmentalist and anti-colonial themes are present and recurring but largely folded into the story and spectacle.

• Humans hunt the whale-like tulkun for an anti-aging serum
• The 'Sky People' invade and exploit Pandora's resources

Strong anti-colonial framing with humans as resource-extracting invaders, an environmental allegory, though not explicitly tied to masculinity.

• Human RDA forces despoil Pandora and slaughter tulkun for profit
• Colonel Quaritch returns as the aggressive militaristic antagonist

Original sequel to Cameron's own franchise; no source material to betray.