Less than 24 hours afterJosh Brolinprovideda disappointing update onDune: Messiah, the famous actor is back with more news regarding his involvement with a significant franchise. During a recent interview withGraham Bensinger on the In Depth podcast, Brolin talked about turning down a role in the 2022 box office juggernautAvatar: The Way of Water. The secondAvatarfilm didn’t struggle due to Brolin’s absence, earning scores of 76% from critics and 92% from general audiences on the aggregate siteRotten Tomatoeson its way to becoming one of the top three highest-grossing movies ever with $2.3 billion. When asked to elaborate on his absence from the sequel, Brolin declined to provide specifics but did have this to say:
“I heard he was angry. I understand it, because when you have something in your mind and you have a status and a power… you’re used to people feeling really grateful that you are offering it to them. I don’t know if that was the case with him because I don’t know him well enough. But it was based on the project, it wasn’t based on him.”
While it’s impossible to rule out thatJames Cameronwas frustrated that Brolin declined to star inAvatar: The Way of Water, it’s also possible that Brolin was misinformed and that Cameron was entirely unbothered. The film had no trouble reaching its lofty goals without Brolin, so there are certainly no hard feelings on the back end from either party. There are also severalAvatarmovies confirmed to be in development,the next of which beingAvatar: First and Ash, which will hit theaters just over one year from now, on July 10, 2025. If Brolin’s schedule clears up and Cameron is still interested in working with him in the future, the two could make amends and see that Brolin has a prominent role in arguably the biggest sci-fi franchise to come out of the 2000s.
What Other Projects Does Josh Brolin Have in the Works?
Josh Brolin has several intriguing projects in the works. He has been tapped fora role inWake Up Dead Man, the third installment inRian Johnson’s whodunnitKnives Outseries starringDaniel Craig. He will alsoteam up with Glen Powell to star inThe Running Manremake, which also starsLee PaceandWilliam H. Macyand is currently in production. Brolin will also reprise his role as Gurney Halleck inDune: Messiah, butthe film is not expected to even begin production until early 2026.
Avatar: Fire and Ashis confirmed to be released next year on D, but Brolin will not appear in the film. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watchAvatar: The Way of WateronDisney+.
Avatar: The Way of Water
Ten years after the events of Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their new family as they brave the world of Pandora and the struggles they endure to protect themselves and their people. Director James Cameron used The Way of Water to explore the oceans of Pandora and set the stage for the subsequent three sequels. In addition to Worthington and Saldana, Avatar: The Way of the Water sees the return of Sigourney Weaver, this time playing a character named Kiri, and Stephen Lang’s villainous Quaritch.
WATCH ON DISNEY+
