The potential sequel Alita: Battle Angel 2 just received its most promising update yet.

The first Alita: Battle Angel hit theaters in early 2019, as the long-in-development passion project of James Cameron. Based upon the popular manga Gunnm, a.k.a. Battle Angel Alita, created by Yukito Kishiro, the movie was co-written and produced by Cameron with Robert Rodriguez eventually directing the adaptation due to Cameron being busy making the Avatar sequels.

At the premiere for Avatar: The Way of Water, Alita: Batttle Angel producer Jon Landau dropped a hint about Alita 2. Responding to a question on what projects he and Cameron are working on after the Avatar sequel’s release, Landau stated, “Well, there’s a little film called Alita: Battle Angel that we’d love to circle back and do a sequel to. Been talking to Robert [Rodriguez] about that and hopefully, that comes to fruition.” While not officially announcing the big-screen return of the cybernetic martial arts warrior Alita, Landau’s comments nonetheless are the most exciting news on the sequel’s future to date, for a few reasons.

Why Jon Landau’s Alita 2 Comments Are A Big Deal

The most revealing part about Jon Landau’s comments is the fact that rather than replying to a question specifically inquiring about Alita: Battle Angel 2, the producer took it upon himself to mention the sequel as something that he, James Cameron, and Robert Rodriguez are hoping to make. Landau’s comments also make clear that the three of them are still invested in continuing the Alita franchise with Cameron’s planned sequels, Alita: Fallen Angel and Alita: Avenging Angel.

Actress Rosa Salazar, who plays the title character in Alita: Battle Angel, has also made her enthusiasm for continuing in the role quite clear in multiple interviews. With the cast and crew being as eager as Alita fans to see her journey continue, the only real challenge is for them to convince Disney to move ahead with Alita 2. This is also where the context of Landau’s comment becomes more significant.

How Avatar 2 Can Benefit Alita 2

Jon Landau speaking about Alita: Battle Angel 2 at the Avatar: The Way of Water premiere means he sees the new movie as providing potential leverage for the Alita franchise to continue. The early buzz for the Avatar sequel shows that Landau, James Cameron, and Robert Rodriguez could be very on the money in that respect. As the last major blockbuster of 2022, Avatar: The Way of Water is tracking to perform very well, with early reactions praising it as being as groundbreaking as its predecessor. As a further indicator of the sequel’s strong box office prospects, the original’s 2022 re-release also proved Avatar‘s success was anything but a fluke.

Alita: Battle Angel earned $405 million worldwide against a budget of between $150 and $200 million. While that’s an impressive tally for a niche character like Alita, the movie’s high price tag is likely what has left the sequel up in the air. Still, mega-budget movies that look like suicide missions are James Cameron’s bread and butter. If Avatar: The Way of Water strikes comparable box office gold to its predecessor, that could provide Cameron everything he needs to convince Disney that Alita: Battle Angel‘s growing cult following offers a strong foundation to keep building on, resulting in a greenlight for Alita: Battle Angel 2.