James Cameron has been developing a sequel to his record-breaking blockbuster Avatar for over 10 years, and it finally hit theaters this weekend. Avatar: The Way of Water is expected to follow in the first film’s footsteps, and box office projections think it’ll make a big splash opening weekend. The critical response has been great so far, with the film earning a certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an A CinemaScore. Avatar’s success has a lot to do with the 3D technology instead of the star power, but the film almost cast one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Matt Damon was almost cast in the lead role but had to pass due to commitments on a Jason Bourne movie, so the role ultimately went to Sam Worthington. Damon has brought up missing out on the part before and now Cameron is telling the actor to “get over it”. During an interview with BBC 1 Radio, the director jokingly claims the actor is still “beating himself up” over not appearing in the biggest film of all time.
“Matt, you know, you’re kinda like one of the biggest movie stars in the world,” Cameron said. “Get over it.”
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Avatar: The Way of Water introduces us to some new characters like Ronal (Kate Winslet) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis) who are the leaders of the Matkayina clan, and Cameron is really proud about Ronal. He revealed that he believes having a pregnant warrior is a huge level up to female empowerment, even more so than what we’ve seen in films like Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. Winslet plays the character well and you don’t even realize that it’s her in the role. Ronal is pregnant throughout the film and has a very interesting relationship with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). During a new interview with Empire Magazine, Winslet revealed how the two characters release to each other.
“Ronal is a formidable female character,” Winslet told the magazine. “Like Neytiri, she holds her family’s needs close to her heart and will stop at nothing to protect her children and her people. A true mother, in every sense.”
“These two females are so aligned in their deep desire to keep their individual families safe. They are both powerful, willful creatures who respect their husbands but will not be led by them. They carve their own paths, and they expect to be listened to. They are both physically as capable as one another, and in the world of Pandora, the need for physical ability amongst all tribespeople is not only important — it is crucial. They also need to possess equal strength to their male counterparts, which both these females do. In staggering ways. Working with Zoe was just wonderful. Her commitment to the world of Pandora and being Na’vi is so embedded within her now that it is truly inspiring to be around. It’s as if it’s in her blood now.” The actress added.
The sequel is confirmed to feature several returning stars that include Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stepehn Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, CCH Pounder, Matt Gerald, and Sigourney Weaver. The cast for the sequels will include several more newcomers than returning members, though, with the likes of Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, David Thewlis, Vin Diesel, and CJ Jones all set to appear as well. Plot details for the sequels are currently unknown.
Avatar: The Way of Water is in theaters now and Avatar 3 is set to debut two years later on December 20, 2024.
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