Avatar 2 star Sigourney Weaver says she hopes audiences will be able to pack theaters when the movie finally arrives. The original Avatar of course drew people to multiplexes in droves, ultimately grossing an all-time-record $2.8 billion worldwide (after a re-release in China helped it climb back over Avengers: Endgame).
Avatar creator James Cameron truly became the king of the box office world after Avatar smashed every record in 2009. Now the director is going back to the same sci-fi well to make not one but four Avatar sequels. And in true Cameron fashion, the new Avatar films are expected to expand the boundaries of film technology. The first of Cameron’s four sequels was of course supposed to arrive in December 2020, but that release date was abandoned to avoid competition with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Unfortunately Avatar 2’s new December 2021 release date also had to be abandoned due to COVID. As of now, the movie is targeting a release in 2022.
It remains to be seen if Avatar 2 makes its current planned release date. For her part, returning original Avatar star Weaver hopes that whenever the movie arrives, it gets a full theatrical roll-out so audiences can experience Cameron’s vision in all its big-screen glory. During a recent red carpet appearance in Toronto, Weaver was asked if she’s seen any footage from Avatar 2 and replied in the affirmative, while also expressing her hope that by 2022 COVID will be a thing of the past and audiences can return to theaters (via ET Canada):
I have seen stuff. And all I can tell you is that everything he’s allowed to be in print is true. There’s going to be a lot of underwater and luckily it’s not coming out until 2022 Christmas. By which time I think we will all really be able to jam the theaters. Because that is going to be a theater experience. And so he’s busy working on it. He’s terribly excited. The stories are amazing. And of course all the effects and the world and everything. It was just a joy to do.
“A lot of underwater” may indeed be an understatement on Weaver’s part as Avatar 2 appears to be positively dominated by its new Pandora undersea setting. Indeed, Cameron’s original plan to start shooting Avatar 2 soon after the release of Avatar had to be put on hold so new technology could be developed allowing for underwater performance-capture. The public has obviously not yet seen any of the footage that resulted from Cameron’s hard work, but there have been plenty of teases, including a look at Avatar 2 star Kate Winslet performing a Na’vi ritual underwater (minus the crucial special effects).
Eventually some footage of Avatar 2 will be released in order to whet fans' appetites. But for now Cameron seems content keep up interest by letting behind-the-scenes images and other little tidbits trickle out. It will indeed be interesting to see if this mystery-preserving approach ultimately pays off when Avatar 2 finally arrives. On the one hand, there is good reason to be excited about Avatar 2, given Cameron’s commitment to unleashing truly epic cinematic experiences. On the other hand, it’s been a long time since the first Avatar had its original day in the box office sun. And it’s been noted many times that, despite its status as a monster hit, Avatar’s impact on wider pop culture has not been great. Cameron could still have the last laugh of course, but for him to get that full satisfaction, Avatar 2 will need to not just draw eyeballs on a streaming service but pack theaters like Weaver hopes.
Source: ET Canada
