In 2009, one of, if not the, most technologically impressive movies ever created hit the big screen. James Cameron’s Avatar took advantage of motion tracking, 3D, and headgear that measured facial expressions to transfer the movements into CGI. Eight years later, Avatar remains the most successful film ever, having brought in an unsurpassed $2.8 billion across the planet (that’s planet Earth, not Pandora, which is actually a moon). We’ve known that a sequel’s been in the works for awhile, but Avatar 2 is finally set to begin motion-capture filming in the summer.
The movie continues the conflict between humanity and the Na’vi (Hey! Listen!) and focuses on Jake, Neytiri, and their children. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana will, of course, be returning to reprise their roles as everyone’s favorite blue people. According to IMDb, Stephen Lang also takes up his old mantle of Col. Quaritch, and Sigourney Weaver is listed among the cast despite Dr. Grace having supposedly perished in the first movie. Avatar 2 is planned to release December 2018. James Cameron held an interview with The Daily Beast recently and talked about several of his films. Naturally, that included Avatar 2.
“My focus is on Avatar 2, 3, 4, and 5 equally. That’s exactly how I’m approaching it. They’ve all been developed equally. I’ve just finished the script to Avatar 5. I’m now starting the process of active prep. I’ll be working with the actors in the capture volume in August, so I’m booked in production every day between now and then. Our volume is up and running, and everything is designed, and so we’re going full guns right now.”
Eight to nine years is a long time to wait between movies in the same franchise, even if they’re as big as this. But hopefully, with all the scripts finished and the films scheduled to be filmed in unison, the gaps between the sequels will be narrower. One thing is certain: the entire world is looking forward to them.
