Avatar: The Way of Water will need to be the 'third or fourth' highest-grossing film in history to break even

Avatar: The Way of Water, the long-awaited sequel to Avatar, looks full of underwater adventure.

Avatar stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are back for the film, set to open December 15. with tickets already on sale.

The new trailer aired during Monday Night Football on ESPN in the US.

The 2009 film remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, hitting more than US$2.7 billion at the global box office.

It is currently streaming on Disney+ and had a theatrical re-release earlier this year.

Directed by James Cameron, Worthington and Saldaña return as Jake and Neytiri.

They now live in Pandora with their family.

Cameron, who has been working on The Way of  Water since 2013, told GQ that in order for the film to be profitable, it will "have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history.

"That's your threshold. That's your break even."

Sigourney Weaver, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, Stephen Lang, Matt Gerald, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Dileep Rao, Giovanni Ribisi, and Kate Winslet also star in the film.

The movie is the first of four Avatar sequels planned. An untitled third Avatar film is set for release December. 20, 2024.