What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedAvatar: The Way of Water
James Cameron · Film · 2022
If you loved Avatar: The Way of Water, start with Avatar: The Last Airbender (Albert Kim, 2024) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Avatar: The Way of Water across media.
What hooked you in Avatar: The Way of Water was the way epic, world-spanning conflict becomes deeply intimate through the lens of family.
Books on the same thread
Watership Down
Richard Adams · Book · 1972
Shares a thread with Avatar: The Way of Water: Environmentalism.
Like the Sully family in Avatar: The Way of Water, these characters face a desperate struggle for survival, highlighting how courage and loyalty protect a community from displacement.
The Covenant of Water
Abraham Verghese · Book · 2023
Explores: Kerala, India, Medical Mystery, Generational Trauma.
If the multigenerational bonds and cultural legacy in Avatar: The Way of Water resonated with you, this epic family saga offers a similarly profound look at ancestral ties.
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card · Book · 2013
Explores: Child Soldiers, Alien Invasion, Moral Ambiguity.
The intense military stakes and moral ambiguity found in Avatar: The Way of Water are mirrored here, as young protagonists are thrust into a high-stakes war for survival.
The Road
Cormac McCarthy · Book · 2007
Explores: Parent-child bond, Moral ambiguity, Existential dread.
This novel echoes the visceral, parent-child survival dynamic of Avatar: The Way of Water, grounding its grand, bleak setting in the intimate, protective bond between a father and son.
Series on the same thread
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Michael Dante DiMartino · Series · 2005
Explores: Elemental Powers, Destiny, Balance of Power.
Much like the journey of the Sully family in Avatar: The Way of Water, this series balances epic, world-saving stakes with the personal growth and destiny of young heroes.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Albert Kim · Series · 2024
Explores: Destiny, War and Peace, Elemental Magic.
Just as the Sully family navigates a war-torn world in Avatar: The Way of Water, this story emphasizes the importance of found family while mastering elemental powers to survive.
The Legend of Korra
Bryan Konietzko · Series · 2012
Explores: Coming-of-Age, Spiritual Journey, Balance and Harmony.
Fans of the spiritual journey and character development in Avatar: The Way of Water will appreciate how this narrative focuses on a headstrong lead finding balance amidst conflict.
House of the Dragon
George R. R. Martin · Series · 2022
Explores: Succession, Power Struggles, Dynastic Conflict.
The dynastic conflict and high-stakes power struggles seen in Avatar: The Way of Water are elevated here, focusing on how internal family fractures can lead to massive imperial collapse.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Big Picture
Podcast
Explores: Hollywood, Awards Season, Film Criticism.
If the technical achievement and world-building of Avatar: The Way of Water fascinated you, this podcast provides the critical analysis and industry context to deepen your cinematic appreciation.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
This audio drama captures the same themes of survival and displacement on a hostile world found in Avatar: The Way of Water, centering on the emotional toll of loss.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Avatar: The Way of Water a direct continuation of the first film?
Yes, Avatar: The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the original movie. The story focuses on the Sully family, including Jake, Neytiri, and their children, as they face new threats and struggle to stay alive together.
What is the main conflict in Avatar: The Way of Water?
The primary conflict in Avatar: The Way of Water involves the trouble that follows the Sully family. The narrative centers on the intense lengths Jake, Neytiri, and their children go to keep each other safe while fighting battles to survive and enduring various personal tragedies.
Does Avatar: The Way of Water focus on the entire Sully family?
Yes, Avatar: The Way of Water specifically follows the story of the Sully family. The plot details the experiences of Jake, Neytiri, and their kids as they navigate the dangers that follow them and work to protect one another throughout their difficult journey.
What themes are explored in Avatar: The Way of Water?
Avatar: The Way of Water explores themes of family protection and survival. The story highlights the lengths the Sully family goes to keep each other safe, the battles they must fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure over a decade after the first film.