Zoe Saldana Opens Up About The Avatar Sequels
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James Cameron is considered a visionary director because his films seem larger than life. From The Terminator to Titanic, James Cameron doesn’t make movies on a small scale. In 2009, Cameron’s Avatar dazzled audiences around the world as it became the highest grossing movie of all time. With his new film trilogy racing towards production this spring, one of the films’ stars has opened up about the Avatar sequels’ story.
In an interview with MTV, Zoe Saldana talks about returning to the planet Pandora as the warrior princess Neytiri of the Na’vi. Both Saldana and her co-star Sam Worthington have been confirmed for the next three movies. According to Saldana, the Avatar sequels will be more emotional and heartfelt than the original film, while not skimping on action or drama. Saldana said:
‘I went down to the studio that they’ve been setting up for the past three years. It was wonderful,’ Saldana told MTV. ‘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.’
Apparently, Saldana knew that she would be back for the sequels to reprise her role as Neytiri from the original Avatar. Considering that Cameron is making all three movies at the same time, Saldana will be attached to production for quite a long time. Saldana continued:
” 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.
Zoe Saldana is quickly becoming the queen of science fiction for a new generation. She has appeared as Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot series, as Gamora — the deadliest woman in the galaxy — in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and now she’ll be in more Avatar films. Watch out Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana is comin’ for you!
As for the Avatar sequels, James Cameron hired screenwriters Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connors Chronicles), Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), and Shane Salerno (Armageddon, Salinger) to help him write the new Avatar trilogy. Cameron will be spending the next five years of his career on the Avatar films, so hopefully they’re something more exciting than the original.
At the moment, there are no confirmed plot details about the Avatar sequels, but it is believed that they will further explore the alien terrain of Pandora. Avatar 2 would allegedly involve its oceans, while Avatar 3 would explore its orbit and Moon. James Cameron has stated that Avatar 4 would be a prequel and follow the Na’vi before humans discovered Pandora, but this is still considered speculation at this point.
Production on the Avatar sequels will make its way down to Peter Jackson’s WETA Studios in New Zealand this spring. Fox has yet to announce an official release date for the sequels, but Avatar 2 is said to be targeting sometime around Christmas 2016, with Avatar 3 aiming for Christmas 2017, and Avatar 4 for Christmas 2018.
