Zoe Saldana discusses ‘Avatar 2’ and sequels, says James Cameron gets emotional
Director James Cameron has been busy pulling together the pieces to expand the Avatar franchise. Star Zoe Saldana will be back and spoke about the emotional nature of the films.
While promoting her new film Infinitely Polar Bear, Saldana spoke with MTV confirmed the long committment to filming multiple films back-to-back.
“I knew. I knew for a while. Then it was confirmed last fall when they approached us, already telling us these are the dates, lock yourself, we would like you to start getting ready around this time.”
The upcoming sequel would see the return of Jake Sully and Neytiri and how impactful the story has become.
“I went down to the studio that they’ve been setting up for the past three years. It was wonderful. Jim took us and gave us a tour of all the reference pictures, telling us the stories. I haven’t been able to read the scripts. They’re still working on them. We kind of get choked up. [Cameron] gets emotional telling us about the story. I get emotional hearing about it, so I’m looking forward to it.”
It has been confirmed the co-star Sam Worthington will be back, but also Stephen Lang’s Miles Quaritch and Sigourney Weaver’s Grace Augustine (even though both characters were seen dying on screen in the first film).
With release dates carved out in December 2016, 2017 and 2018, the plan is to shoot the first three Avatar sequels back-to-back-to-back.
Cameron is working on all three of the scripts along with screenwriters Josh Friedman, duo Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, and Shane Salerno.
Production is expected to start up late this year.