Thirteen years ago, there was only one film that everyone was talking about.
In 2009, Avatar became the world's most highest-grossing film, earning just shy of NZ$4.9 billion at the box office.
Now, audiences are being welcomed back to the alien world of Pandora, for the first of four more films in the series.
Avatar: The Way of Water sees protagonist Jake Sully with his new family fleeing war, and effectively becoming refugees.
Actor Sam Worthington told 1News that the sequel has a much bigger scale.
"I think what Jim (James Cameron) has done, is inviting everyone back to this incredible ecosystem that he's created, or Pandora," he says.
However, despite the alien setting, Worthington says director James Cameron's made sure audiences will still be able to relate to the film's messages.
"We're having arguments with teenagers in this and, you know, pick up your clothes, even though you're in an intergalactic war. I think that seems very clever."
New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis has joined the cast too, playing Tonowari, a chief and leader of the Reef Nation.
His character clearly draws on his proud Māori heritage and background.
"It's a gift, you know, I feel incredibly blessed and grateful to be a part of this universe, but to be able to contribute by bringing things that are very intimate and real and true to me as a part of the role."
Actors have also faced fresh challenges, with large stretches of the film shot underwater.
Actresses Sigourney Weaver and Kate Winslet both learnt how to freedive, and were able to spend up to seven minutes underwater by the end of shooting.
There have been plenty of headlines ahead of the sequel's release, with James Cameron telling Total Film that the future of the franchise relied on audiences heading to cinemas.
"The market could be telling us we’re done in three months, or we might be semi-done, meaning: ‘OK, let’s complete the story within movie three, and not go on endlessly’, if it’s just not profitable," he said.
Worthington said he was confident the new film would resonate with audiences, even those who hadn't seen the 2009 film.
"Jim (James Cameron) has been very clever in doing this is it's a whole other generation, as you said, that didn't even exist."
"You know, they weren't even born when the first movie came out, so this is an independent story, but it still has that transformative experience that he likes to craft."
Avatar: The Way of Water is in cinemas from December 15.
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