We have to wait nearly two years until Avatar 2 arrives in theaters in December 2021, but we do have a first look at concept art. The official Avatar Twitter account published four images showing new geographical areas of Pandora. Each image depicts an ocean region, which is consistent with what we know so far of the plot of Avatar 2.
The images are stunning and remind me of fantasy-themed murals on “shaggin’ wagons” from the 1970s. The Twitterverse immediately began attacking the images—of course—primarily because they don’t look like “good” CG. Well, duh! It’s not CG. These are paintings by Dylan Cole, a renowned digital matte-painter, who worked on the first Avatar and so many other movies.
Avatar 2 starts 12 years after the events of the last movie. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have started a family. Because, of course, they did. Could you imagine the response from die-hard fans if they had broken up or gotten the Na’vi equivalent of divorce? Anyway, the film is rumored to focus on Jake and Neytiri’s kids.
The film will spend time around and under an ocean, where the happy blue family makes allies with the Metkayina diving clan, which is led by Tonowari (Cliff Curtis). Then the idyllic planet is once again thrown into chaos as the RDA comes back to finish their mission of stripping the planet of unobtanium (◔_◔).
Worthington and Saldana are joined by returning good guys Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, and Dileep Rao, as well as bad boys Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Lang, and Matt Gerald. Both Lang’s and Gerald’s characters died in Avatar, so maybe clones, twin brothers, sons? Maybe clone-sons like Jango Fett’s Boba? Force ghosts? Probably not.
Speaking of dead characters, Sigourney Weaver returns, but in a different role since her character, Dr. Grace Augustine, went to live forever with Eywa. According to an interview Weaver did with Yahoo Entertainment in 2017, she had to learn how to free dive since some of the filming is done underwater with the actors. She can now hold her breath for four minutes—not bad for someone 70 years old.
Avatar 2 adds new cast members Cliff Curtis, Oona Chaplin, Jemaine Clement, Brendan Cowell, Vin Diesel, Edie Falco, CJ Jones, David Thewlis, Kate Winslet, and Michelle Yeoh.
Shooting began in 2017 on location at Manhattan Beach, California and in New Zealand, Earth. Performance capture wrapped up in late 2018, with live-action filming in 2019. Not sure why Cameron needs two years for editing and digital effects. Hopefully, the extra wait will be worth it when Avatar hits theaters in 2021.
