Eerie resurrections, mysterious characters, and record breaking performances are all a
part of James Cameron's long awaited sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water."
Here's everything you need to know about this sequel that's a decade in the making.
The last two feature directorial efforts from James Cameron, "Titanic" and "Avatar," both
excelled at the box office largely thanks to opening just before Christmas weekend. It was a
perfect date for countless reasons, including how it allowed these movies to flourish over multiple
holidays and to play into January, a month often devoid of other big blockbusters. It's no wonder
that "Avatar: The Way of Water" is taking a cue from Cameron's previous films in its release date.
This massive blockbuster will begin playing in movie theaters everywhere on December 16, 2022.
Back in 2010, when the "Avatar" sequels were just being laid out, James Cameron announced
ambitions to get the first of these follow-ups into theaters by December 2014. The process of
writing the movies proved arduous enough to necessitate a move to December 2017,
before Disney settled on a December 2021 release date. The movie wasn't finished shifting around
the calendar, though. The COVID-19 pandemic would cause one more delay until its final
December 2022 release date. Though it took so long to stick to an opening date,
"The Way of Water" appears fully on track for a December 2022 premiere.
Fans will be happy to know that Jake Sully and Neytiri will return for "Avatar:
The Way of Water." Both characters remain the protagonists of the sequel. The secrecy
surrounding "Avatar: The Way of Water" means there isn't a lot of information
about the characters' stories though. However, one big change for the pair
that's been confirmed is that the duo will now have multiple children to take care of.
"This family…"
"...is our fortress."
In 2017, Sam Worthington noted that this aspect of Jake and Neytiri would be critical
to "The Way of Water." A central theme of the movie is family according to the actor.
Worthington also expressed excitement over the expanded scope of the movie and noted
that this blockbuster would be delivering an unprecedented spectacle to moviegoers.
For her part, Zoe Saldana conveyed her excitement for this follow-up by revealing to People Magazine
that she was moved to tears after watching footage from "The Way of Water." Even if concrete details
about Jake and Neytiri's respective journeys are still shrouded in mystery, the actors
who portray them sure sound enthusiastic about everything this movie has to offer.
In the original "Avatar," Sigourney Weaver played the human being Dr. Grace Augustine, a character
who perishes despite a last-ditch effort from her friends to transport her soul into her avatar
body. Though such a definitive death would seem to have cut off any opportunity for Weaver to show up
in "Avatar: The Way of Water," it was confirmed as early as September 2011 that she would indeed be
coming back for the sequel. Things became even more intriguing in 2015 when, on "The Jonathan
Ross Show," Weaver revealed that she would be playing someone brand new in an "Avatar" sequel.
After years of speculation, Weaver's concrete role in the movie was revealed. Weaver will be playing
Jake and Neytiri's adopted teenage Na'vi daughter, Kiri. The concept of Weaver playing such a young
character may sound baffling, but Weaver was well up to the challenge, explaining to Empire,
"I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents. I certainly do.
I was 5' 10" or 5' 11" when I was 11. I felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot
of the time. She's searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim."
The universe of "Avatar" is so full of surprises and few are as shocking
as how Sigourney Weaver is coming back for "Avatar: The Way of Water."
Stephen Lang left an enormous impression on moviegoers in his
performance as the nefarious human villain Miles Quaritch.
"Are you out of your goddamned mind?!"
"You crossed the line."
He despised the Na'vi natives of Pandora and went to many extreme lengths to pull
off his mission. At the end of "Avatar," it seemed like his story had drawn to a close
thanks to Neytiri plunging two massive arrows into his chest. However, as early as 2013,
James Cameron made it clear that he had major plans for Quaritch in the assorted "Avatar"
sequels. Death was not the end for this adversary, but rather the beginning of a whole new plotline.
"Avatar: The Way of Water" will see Quaritch returning in a Na'vi body as part of a program
called Recombinants, aka avatars that carry the consciousnesses of dead soldiers. Though he
retains his memories from his human form, this incarnation of Quaritch has some new abilities
to make him an extra formidable presence for the film's heroes. Lang said to Empire,
"[He] was always a character who moved in straight
lines and at right angles. But now he is as lithe as they come. He can move with
the same kind of cunning and feral quality that any of the Na'vi can."
After collaborating on "Titanic," Kate Winslet and James Cameron are working together again
in "Avatar: The Way of Water." Winslet donned a motion-capture suit for the sequel to play Ronal,
one of the leaders of the Metkayina tribe, a collection of Na'vi who live in the oceans of
Pandora. Winslet had some insight about the character when she spoke to Empire,
"She is strong. A warrior. Even in the face of grave danger, and with an unborn baby on board,
she still joins her people and fights for what she holds most dear. Her family and their home."
To portray Ronal, Winslet had to film many of her scenes underwater. Doing this required her
to learn how to hold her breath for prolonged periods of time. Winslet eventually got so
good at it that she was able to hold her breath for seven minutes and 14 seconds.
This feat dethroned Tom Cruise's work in "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation" for
the record of the longest breath hold while shooting a movie underwater.
"Avatar: The Way of Water" is chock-full of actors who played characters that died in the first film.
Most are either coming back in new bodies or are playing brand new characters altogether,
but there's an extended shelf life for nearly all the performers of the original "Avatar." A key
exception to this, though, is Michelle Rodriguez, who played the pilot Trudy in the original film.
Her character perished in the climactic battle of "Avatar," getting wiped out by General Quaritch's
warship. While the fantastical world of "Avatar" would seem to deliver plenty of avenues for
resurrecting Trudy, Rodriguez has long confirmed she wouldn't be involved in "The Way of Water."
"Rogue one is hit going in. Sorry, Jake."
The loss of Trudy may be discouraging for fans of the first "Avatar," but at least "Avatar:
The Way of Water" won't be short on brand-new human characters to help the otherworldly
protagonists. James Cameron has continued to heap praise on Rodriguez in recent years,
including saying that her "Resident Evil" performance
is a key reason why he considers that video game adaptation a guilty pleasure favorite.
Fans of the original "Avatar" will be pleased to see so many familiar faces returning for "Avatar:
The Way of Water." This includes Joel David Moore, who played Pandora expert Norm Spellman
in the original "Avatar." Meanwhile, CCH Pounder is also confirmed to be coming back as Moat,
the mother of Neytiri, while Dileep Rao is returning as human scientist Dr. Max
Patel. The presence of these faces ensures that Jake Sully and Neytiri will have plenty
of trustworthy allies in their midst as they contend with dark forces descending on Pandora.
There will also be villains from the original feature coming back for the follow-up. One of
the most noticeable returning antagonists is Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge,
who previously served as a major advocate for RDA's interests in mining Pandora's
resources. Meanwhile, audiences may have seen him get trampled to death
in the first "Avatar," but Matt Gerald is still returning as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet.
The cast for "Avatar: The Way of Water" is heavy on brand new characters,
with many of them being children or teenagers. As part of this movie's
indication of how long it's been since the first "Avatar" took place,
there's a whole new generation of human and Na'vi characters for audiences to discover.
There are several younger characters introduced in the sequel, including a trio of youngsters,
Neteyam, Lo'ak, and Tuktirey - Jake and Neytiri's children. There is also
human teenager Javier, who is in love with the biological world of Pandora.
As for the new grown-ups in the story, Cliff Curtis is on hand to portray Tonowari,
one of the leaders of the Metkayina people, while Edie Falco is portraying
General Ardmore, a human who handles RDA's ambitions for the planet Pandora.
Jemaine Clement is on board to portray marine biologist Dr. Ian Garvin, while
another medical professional, Dr. Karina Mogue, will be played by Michelle Yeoh.
Then there's Oona Chaplin, who is portraying Varang, a figure who plays an important role
in "Avatar: The Way of Water" and all of its successors. The character is shrouded in such
secrecy that it's still unknown if she's a human or a member of the Na'vi people.
While there haven't been further "Avatar" movies in between the original film in 2009 and "Avatar:
The Way of Water," that doesn't mean this franchise has been in hibernation for over
a decade. "Avatar" has continued to leave a footprint on pop culture thanks to "Pandora – The
World of Avatar," a land in Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort that opened in May 2017.
This location allowed the general public to get closer to the finer details of Pandora than ever
before. Given its popularity, it shouldn't be a surprise that "The Way of Water" will
find ways to acknowledge all that this park has contributed to the mythos of "Avatar."
"It's about reconnecting an audience with that almost childlike wonder and
appreciation that you have for the natural world."
Talking to Inside the Magic, producer Jon Landau noted that the "Avatar" ride "Flight of Passage"
featured the first hints of the oceans of Pandora, a landscape that will be explored in greater
detail in "The Way of Water." He also hinted that some of the creatures introduced in the
"Flight of Passage" ride could make their way into "The Way of Water" and other "Avatar" sequels.
Additionally, he mentioned that new mech-suits that walked around the "Avatar" land at Animal
Kingdom were inspired by designs for these outfits that will be used in "Avatar:
The Way of Water." These shared details between the "Avatar" theme park attractions
and movies provide some exciting hints of what moviegoers can expect from "The Way of Water."
In 2009, "Avatar" changed the game for digital 3D. It wasn't the first movie
to be presented in the format, but it was the one that got everybody to see
the potential for digital 3D cinema. In the years since "Avatar" dominated the box office,
though, moviegoers and studios have fallen out of love with digital 3D.
The shrinking presence of the format might lead one to wonder if "Avatar:
The Way of Water" will take a cue from domestic IMAX locations and leave 3D behind. However,
James Cameron has opted to remain loyal to this projection method by guaranteeing that "Avatar:
The Way of Water" will be released in this format too.
Not only that, but Cameron is using technological advances to further
improve digital 3D projection. While talking at the Busan International Film Festival,
Cameron noted that "The Way of Water" would be sporadically employing a higher than
usual frame rate during certain spectacle-heavy sequences that will help improve the quality of
the digital 3D images. It's safe to say that audiences can expect an extremely
thoughtful return to the world of digital 3D cinema with "Avatar: The Way of Water."
The finer plot details of "Avatar: The Way of Water" have been kept close to the chest
in the run-up to the movie's release. From a plot synopsis on the film's official website,
the movie will take place over a decade after the original "Avatar." It broadly talks about
how this sequel will chronicle all kinds of turmoil Jake, Neytiri, and their family will
face as well as how they try to protect one another. Beyond the details outlined here,
"The Way of Water" is confirmed to largely take place across Pandora's expansive oceans,
a backdrop that will help to introduce many of the story's new characters.
As for the villains of "The Way of Water," they should be familiar to anyone who loves
the original "Avatar." The evil organization Resources Development Administration will make
a return to serve as the villains of "The Way of Water." The twist this go-around is
that the plot of "The Way of Water" will see the RDA implant the spirits of dead soldiers
into Na'vi bodies to create creatures called Recombinants. Other new pieces of technology,
like a massive 3D printing plant, will allow RDA to terrorize the heroes of "The Way of
Water." While many of the story details about this sequel are shrouded in mystery,
what has been revealed suggests an epic scope and lots of actions are in store for fans.