In 2009, James Cameron’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora captivated audiences worldwide as one of the most ambitious and critically acclaimed science fiction epics of the last decade. The 3D adventure story is set in the distant future, where humanity has colonized the distant moon Pandora. Ten years later, an Avatar sequel is scheduled to release this Christmas, and anticipation is high from fans of the first movie.
Avatar 2 will continue the story of Jake Sully and Neytiri, two human-Na’vi hybrids who now find their lives intertwined with Pandora’s intelligent inhabitants – the Na’vi. What awaits them, along with other returning characters, is set to explore many of the planet’s submerged mysteries and unravel its greatest secrets. Of course, with this being a sequel, audiences can expect plenty of intense action and no shortage of heart-stopping encounters on the alien world.
The sequel to Avatar also promises to expand upon the film’s Oscar-winning visual effects. Not only will the filmmakers be utilizing more advanced computer-generated imagery (CGI) technology this time around, but they will also be capturing footage from a totally unique underwater filming stage constructed for the project back in 2017. It is said to be the largest underwater motion-capture movie studio in the world.
Plot-wise, expect a continuation of the integration story between Pandora’s human and Na’vi residents. This time, however, the central conflict is set to be more pronounced. As revealed in some of the first trailers and interviews released by the filmmakers, the sequel will be exploring tensions between the two sides as the humans attempt to mine the moon’s powerful mineral resources – the same resources that the Na’vi view as sacred.
Returning stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, and Stephen Lang have been joined by recent additions like Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis, who will be playing new characters Nytiri and Tonowari, respectively. Other newcomers to the cast include Vin Diesel, who will be voicing the Na’vi alpha leader Eytukan and CCH Pounder, who will play a new character named Mo’at.
Production on Avatar 2 has not been without its challenges. The filmmakers have worked to perfect some of the more ambitious and risky underwater scenes through the span of several shoots, some of which were cancelled for health and safety reasons. But now that shooting is expected to wrap up this fall and the release date of December 16 is drawing nearer, it’s safe to assume that the wait will be worth it.
