Set over a decade after the events of the first film, the Avatar: The Way of Water official trailer takes us deeper into Pandora’s oceans and introduces some of the franchise’s new characters, giving fans a better idea of what Steven Spielberg might have in store.

Each of the planned four sequels to the 2009 film (all of part three and some of part four are already shot) will centre again on Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and the lengths the couple will go to to keep their family safe. In this one, Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora.

Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, the family is displaced from their home and forced to flee to the reef-dwelling Metkayina clan’s water world, where tribal politics present an unforeseen set of challenges. It’s there that Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet against the invaders.

Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang also return to Avatar: The Way of Water, with newcomers Michelle Yeoh and Kate Winslet joining the fold.

Avatar: The Way of Water releases in cinemas on December 16th. Watch the trailer below: