From its groundbreaking visual effects to its epic running length, Avatar: The Way of Water was a blockbuster sequel in every sense. First hitting cinemas at the tail end of 2022, the movie is now available to watch at home on the small screen via streaming services.
The follow-up to the world’s highest-grossing film of all time, the movie sees director James Cameron reintroduce us to the native Na’vi people of the distant moon Pandora.
Set a decade after events of the first film, the sequel picks up the story as an ancient threat resurfaces, forcing the blue-skinned inhabitants of Pandora to fight a new war.
A visual treat that picked up an Oscar earlier this year for its otherworldly effects, the movie is now available to stream in the comfort of your own living room. Our guide below lets you see for yourself what Cameron spent a reported budget of $460 million on. Plus, you’ll learn how a virtual private network can come in handy while you stream.
Dive into Avatar: The Way of Water
Ready to watch the movie? Avatar: The Way of Water came out on Disney Plus on June 7 at 12:01 a.m. PT (3:01 a.m. ET). It’s in most regions where Disney Plus is available.
If you aren’t a Disney Plus subscriber but want to be, there’s an ad-supported and ad-free plan to choose from. Your subscription gives you access to the original Avatar movie, if a catch-up is in order.
There’s an alternative streaming option in the US, with the blockbuster movie also available on Max in the US.
Finally Avatar: The Way of Water is now available to purchase digitally for $20 from places including Amazon, with many online stores also offering the movie to rent.
Read more: Best Streaming Services of 2023
How to watch Avatar: The Way of Water from anywhere on VPN
So what if you’re traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the film or want an added layer of privacy for streaming? There’s an option that doesn’t require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a VPN, or virtual private network.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the show. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. Plus, it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
Most VPNs, like CNET’s Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to virtually change your location. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month. But you can save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch Avatar: The Way of Water in the US on Max
If you aren’t already subscribed to Max (formerly HBO Max), you can get it for $10 a month (with ads) or $16 a month (ad-free). To watch in 4K, you can also sign up for the Ultimate plan for $20 per month.
Watch Avatar: The Way of Water in the US, UK, Canada and Australia on Disney Plus
Avatar: The Way of Water is also available to stream on Disney Plus in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
For US viewers, the basic tier costs $8 a month and includes ads, while the premium, adless tier costs $11 a month. If you’re interested in getting Hulu or ESPN Plus along with your Disney Plus, you can pay for a bundle and save (a plan bundling the ad-supported versions of Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus is $13 a month, for example). Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic are found on the Disney Plus streamer.
- In Canada, the service costs $11.99 a month or $119.99 for the year.
- Film fans in the UK can watch Avatar: The Way of Water on Disney Plus, where it currently costs 7.99 a month but doesn’t currently offer a free trial. You can, however, subscribe for a year and save 16%.
- Fans in Australia fans get Disney Plus for AU$13.99 per month or AU$139.99 per year.
Tips for streaming Avatar: The Way of Water using a VPN
- With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
- If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
- If you’re having trouble viewing after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log in to your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is located in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a network’s app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log in to your services. We normally recommend Brave.