Avatar is back in theaters so fans can rewatch the highest-grossing film of all time on the big screen like it was designed to be watched. Restored in 4K and bringing back the 3D hype, the re-release sets up for the long-anticipated sequel coming out in December.
In the light of Avatar 2, it's good to not only remember the main characters but also the people who play them, especially taking into account that most of them will be returning for The Way Of Water.
CCH Pounder - Mo'at
CCH Pounder played the spiritual guide of the Omatikaya clan and is already confirmed in the Avatar sequels to come. Pounder remains one of the most active actresses both in the film and TV industry, present in popular shows such as Sons Of Anarchy as well as blockbusters like Godzilla: The King of the Monsters.
She played the iconic Loretta Blade from NCIS: New Orleans until the show ended in 2021 and recently showed up in The Good Fight in the role of Vinetta Clark.
Wes Studi - Eytukan
Wes Studi was one recurring actor back in the '90s, having worked in iconic movies such as Heat and Dances With Wolves, but most of his projects post-Avatar seem to be smaller in scale.
However, he played a key character in the popular show Penny Dreadful back in 2016 which also relates to his roots. Studi is a Native American, which only makes his role as Eykutan, the clan leader, even more meaningful. Unfortunately, Eykutan died in the first Avatar, and he won't be returning for the upcoming movies.
Joel David Moore - Norm Spellman
Joel David Moore doesn't seem to be as active as his Avatar peers when it comes to his acting career. Most of his successes are dated before Avatar, with big comedy standouts such as Dodgeball and Grandma's Boy.
He was recently part of The Guest and Savages in minor roles but also directed a movie in 2016, Youth In Oregon. Playing Norm Spellman in Avatar, one of the few Jake Sully's human allies, he'll likely have an interesting amount of screen time in the upcoming movies of the franchise.
Stephen Lang - Colonel Quaritch
Stephen Lang played the terrifying Colonel Quaritch, the stubborn, merciless main antagonist of Avatar. Quaritch was a man of colonialist beliefs and violent impulses, and if Lang' performance wasn't enough to convince viewers about his talent for villain roles, his performance as the Blind Man from Don't Breathe probably did the job.
Terrorizing audiences back in 2016 with the intense story of a violent blind who takes down the careless teenagers who invade his home, he returned in 2021 for a sequel just as good. Good news for his fans is that Lang will somehow return to the Avatar franchise, even though his character died in the original movie (via Digital Spy.)
Laz Alonso - Tsu'tey
Laz Alonso collects iconic roles at ease, alternating between a TV and movie career. He currently plays a fan favorite character in The Boys, Mother's Milk, a loyal member of the OG team with main character energy.
Alonso has a history with violent, action-driven characters, from Fast and Furious villains to badass DEA agents in L.A.'s Finest. Even with so many characters sharing similar traits and abilities, he manages to deliver unique performances each, and the contrast between Tsu'tey and Mother's Milk represents that quite well.
Michelle Rodriguez - Trudy Chacon
Michelle Rodriguez was a major highlight in all the most rewatchable Fast and Furious movies with her iconic character Letty Ortiz, and her incredible action performance most definitely helped her get the badass role of Trudy Chacon in Avatar, an army of one who joins with the Na'vi in the fight for what's right.
She continues to appear in recent Fast and Furious movies being F9 the latest. Her character is so precious to the franchise that the writers even found a way to bring her "back" from the dead. Present in several action movies since Avatar, Michelle Rodriguez seems to be born for thrilling stories filled with crossfires and explosions.
Giovanni Ribsi - Parker Selfridge
One of the most unlikable characters in the first Avatar, the coward and easily-manipulated Parker Selfridge is set to return to the franchise's upcoming movies, leaving fans wondering whether he will have a redemption arc. Played by Giovanni Ribsi, an actor with a natural talent for comedy who also takes part in several dramatic projects, his character is the perfect mix of comedy and sternness.
Right now, Ribsi is a constant presence in the TV industry, having appeared in shows such as Sneaky Pete, On The Verge, and The Offer, showing how he still likes to alternate between comedy and drama projects.
Sigourney Weaver - Doctora Grace
One of the greatest movie actresses of all time, Sigourney Weaver has a lot of badass characters in her bag, with Doctora Grace among the most likable ones. Having already worked with Cameron in Aliens, it comes as no surprise the announcement of her return in Avatar 2, even though she's set to play a brand-new character.
Even after decades of actively working, Weaver's career hasn't cooled off. Reprising her role as Dana Barrett in the recent Ghostbusters: Afterlife, she also has a major role in Paul Schrader's newest movie, Master Gardener, which recently premiered at this year's Venice Film Festival.
Zoë Saldaña - Neytiri
It's safe to say that Saldaña's career skyrocketed after Avatar. Already a renowned actress at the time, the film helped Zoë establish herself as one of the most promising faces of Hollywood. Colombiana was another movie that showed how the actress' specialty might be action films, with her starring as a dangerous stone-cold assassin.
Apart from Neytiri, Saldaña has another hugely popular role in her bag, which is Gamora, from the Guardians of the Galaxy. She recently joined the cast of The Adam Project as a key character and is not only returning as Neytiri in Avatar 2 but is also already confirmed in the third and fourth entries of the franchise.
Sam Worthington - Jake Sully
Sam Worthington was part of some big movies in the 13 years that passed since Avatar such as Hacksaw Ridge, where he played the brave Captatin Glover, and Fractured. He was also present in several TV shows, including the recent true crime Mini Series starred by Andrew Garfield, Under The Banner Of Heaven, where Worthington plays one of the perpetrators of an infamous crime.
Worthington likes to make a pause every once in a while between his films but as the main character of Avatar, Jake Sully, he will probably remain a key character in all the movies of the franchise.