Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington Are Locked In For the Avatar Sequels, If Anyone Still Cares
Officially Official
It’s been over four years since Avatar came out, and for most of those years we’ve known that director James Cameron is ready to get his thinly veiled metaphor on in an ever-increasing number of sequels. First it was two, then maybe three. But fans chomping at the bit to see the return of Dances With Blue, Alien Wolves will have to wait awhile, ’cause stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington just now officially signed on to star.
Here’s what we know about the sequels so far: There will be three of them. They will be shot back-to-back-to-back, Lord of the Rings-style, for release in December 2016, December 2017, and (presumably December) 2018. Stephen Lang, who played military baddie Colonel Quaritch, has signed on for all three, despite the fact that his character was killed by Saldana’s Neytiri at the end of the first film. Neytiri and Jake Sully (Worthington) will have kids by the time the sequels roll around, which is new info. And said sequels, unlike the first film, will not be written by Cameron. The Sarah Connor Chronicles creator Josh Friedman is taking on the first one, while the team of Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and Shane Salerno (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Armageddon) will pen two and three, respectively.
Says Cameron:
“Jake Sully is a rare combination of passion, strength, street smarts and soul, which requires a lot from an actor. Sam brought to the role a combination of sensitivity, vulnerability and strength. Zoe captured every aspect of the character I envisioned, bringing to Neytiri a mix of delicacy, fierceness and incredible physicality. I am beyond pleased they’ll be returning with us to Pandora.”
I’m sure Worthington’s pleased, too. It’s not like his career’s done particularly well since the first Avatar. Hey-oh!
Is there anyone out there who’s genuinely excited for three Avatar sequels? I honestly want to know. At the time the first movie came out I was feeling a bit pissy about the undeserved critical acclaim it was getting (it’s not an Oscar-worthy movie), and that, combined with my still-festering hatred of James Cameron after he directed two movies that beat Star Wars at the box office, led me to perhaps be a trifle biased against a movie that I otherwise may have appreciated as a fun Hollywood blockbuster. I was being a petty Star Wars fan. I admit that. The prequels still stung (they still do), and I wasn’t ready to let go of former glory.
Blinded by my hatred, was I. But I might be a bit more open enjoy the Avatar sequels… if they’re good. How ’bout you?
(via: The Hollywood Reporter)
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