It has been an unbelievable 13 years since Avatar broke box office records in 2009, becoming the biggest box office success of all time. Directed by James Cameron, the legendary filmmaker behind classics such as Terminator and Aliens, he has been slaving away on the Pandora-based sequels for years. Shrouded in mystery, there are finally enough details on the film to piece together its content. Express.co.uk has all the details on the science-fiction epic.
What is the release date of Avatar 2?
After the first films hit cinemas, the sequel was set for a 2014 release date. Since then, it has been delayed several times due to numerous factors. First, the scope of the project ballooned, with Cameron announcing not one, not two, but four more films. If all goes to plan, viewers will be sitting down to watch Avatar 5 in 2028.
Avatar 2 is coming much sooner though, as it is currently set for a December 16, 2022, premiere date. It was pushed back from its December 2021 release due to the ongoing pandemic.
Filming didn’t commence until 2017, with the movie blending live-action footage and state-of-the-art CGI effects. The original made headlines for bringing 3D technology into the 21st Century, leading to hope that Avatar 2 will provide a similar jump in cinematic technological progress.
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Who is in the cast of Avatar 2?
Most of the original cast is returning for Avatar 2, once again led by Sam Worthington as Jake Sully and Zoe Saldana as the Na’vi princess Neytiri. Stephen Lang’s also back as Colonel Miles Quaritch and will serve as the villain for all four sequels. Fans will recall Quaritch was killed off at the end of the first film, leaving it a complete mystery on how he could return, though Cameron noted: “I’m not going to say exactly HOW we’re bringing him back, but it’s a science fiction story, after all.”
Sigourney Weaver is also returning for the sequels, but in a strange twist, she will be playing a completely new character. In the original, she played Dr Grace Augustine, the no-nonsense scientist that oversaw the avatar program. She died at the end of the first film, so it is completely up in the air who she could be playing this time.
New to the cast is Kate Winslet, reuniting with Cameron for the first time since Titanic. In the role of Ronal, though little is known about the character, Winslet has been pictured on set in a motion-capture suit, so it is a safe bet to say she is playing a Na’vi.
Rounding out the main cast is CCH Pounder as Mo’at, Matt Gerald as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet, and The Sopranos’ Edie Falco as General Ardmore. The film will also focus on the children of Jake and Neytiri, with one child confirmed as Spider, played by Jack Champion.
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What is the plot of Avatar 2?
It has been confirmed that the sequels will stand on their own, and viewers that missed the original will not have to worry about seeing it. Cameron also teased “familial and imprisonment” themes stretching across the four films.
Avatar 2 will be set 14 years after the events of the first film, with Jake and Neytiri now the leaders of their clan, The story will instead focus on their children and the next generation of Pandora. Producer Jon Mandau said: “I think the story of Avatar 2, and the strength of the story, is what Jim [Cameron] always does in any of his movies: he writes in universal themes that are bigger than any one genre. And, if you think about this, there’s really no more universal theme than family. At the centre of each of our sequels is the Sully family. What are the dynamics that parents go through to protect their family?”
Fans should also expect to see new sides to Pandora, with vast new plans and oceans being explored. Many of these locations were teased at the end of the first film when Jake united the clans against the humans. Now, viewers can expect to discover more of the lush green moon they fell in love with over a decade ago.
Is there a trailer for Avatar 2?
No, neither Disney nor 20th Century Studios has released a trailer for the sequel. With filming completed months ago and the release date edging closer, fans should expect the first teaser to drop around summer 2022.
The project is currently undergoing the long and extensive post-production process, bringing the film up to the very best CGI standards of today, once the main proportion is complete, a trailer will follow. For now, viewers will have to make do with some concept art images and behind-the-scenes photos released by Disney. Yet, the first official photo of the sequel was released just last month, showcasing Spider.
