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Avatar: The Way of Water official trailer
It’s been 13 years since Avatar first hit cinemas and went on to become the highest-grossing movie of all time with almost $3 billion made at the global box office. Now the first of four sequels lands this Friday in a storyline set 10 years after the events of the first movie.
But just who is in James Cameron’s Avatar The Way of Water? With Kate Winslet joining the cast for the first time and Sigourney Weaver returning, despite the death of her character in the first film, Express.co.uk takes a look a the full line up of returning and new members.
READ MORE: Avatar 2 first reactions – James Cameron’s ‘must-see masterpiece’
Avatar The Way of Water cast: Who are the cast of James Cameron’s Avatar 2? (Image: DISNEY)
Who is in Avatar 2?
Sam Worthington – Jake Sully (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Sam Worthington – Jake Sully [returning]
The original Avatar lead Sam Worthington returns as Jake Sully, the Marine who was deployed on a mission to find out more avout the Na’vi people for the RDA (Resources Development Administration).
He ultimately turned his back on his job after growing attached to the tribe, and left his body to permanently become a Na’vi after switching sides in the conflict.
In the next film, we see Jake having started a family with Neytiri, who also returns for the second instalment.
Zoe Saldaña – Neytiri (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Zoe Saldaña – Neytiri [returning]
The Na’vi daughter of the previous Omaticaya tribe chief, who fell in love with Jake in the first movie. In this film, she’ll have a significantly different role, being a mother to five children – three biological, and two adopted – with Jake.
Speaking on working with James Camera, Saldaña told Collider: “Here’s the wonderful thing about working with someone like Jim. Jim is expecting you to come with your firm beliefs in what you are doing.
“Yes, there is passionate discourses that have everything to do with our project because everybody walks in with a very selfless mindset. But the moment he yells, ‘That’s a wrap’, nothing is taken home with you because it’s never about – it never gets personal.
“So there is a lot of passion when you firmly believe in who your character is and where you are and what you’re doing, but he kind of goes, ‘This is where you need to be in order for you to get here.’ And he welcomes that.”
Sigourney Weaver – Kiri (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Sigourney Weaver – Kiri [returning/new]
Cameron’s Aliens star returns as a different character having originally played the now-deceased Dr Grace Augustine in the original outing. Now the 73-year-old is playing Jake and Neytiri’s adopted teenage daughter, thanks to the magic of motion capture performance.
In a recent interview, she revealed that Kiri will try to make a connection with Grace, who’s avatar she is based on. She explained: “There’s definitely a transfer of the curiosity and the love of nature. Grace much prefers to be in Avatar form and be out in the forest and studying things, and I think Kiri has a different way of expressing all that.
“She is just one with nature. And where that comes from, I’m not sure. But it’s very much in the script, and luckily in the movie you will get to see her try to make more of a connection with Grace.”
Stephan Lang – Colonel Miles Quaritch (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Stephan Lang – Colonel Miles Quaritch [returning]
The first film’s villain is back, having been resurrected by the RDA as a Recombinant, an avatar with the memories of a human.
He’s out for revenge against Jake and will be the main antagonist across all four sequels, confirming Quaritch is now “bigger, he’s bluer, he’s p***ed off”.
Speaking about getting the call to return, Lang told Indian Express: “James Cameron did not promise me that I would be a part of Avatar 2.He informed me that I would be there, I sought no promises and he made none.
“At some point he had said that character of Colonel Quaritch was going to return. I was of course pleased and thrilled because you know at the end of Avatar, there is a certain finality when you receive two very large arrows in your chest, you might think you are finished at that point. So it was a great bonus and a blessing that I received that call (from Cameron), and I am back in a very very significant way.”
Kate Winslet – Ronal (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Kate Winslet – Ronal [new]
Cameron’s Titanic star joins the Avatar 2 cast as Ronal, the “deeply loyal and fearless” co-leader of the Metkayina clan.
Her character is “pivotal” to the on-going story, Winslet has said, and required her to learn some new skills – such as learning to hold her breath underwater. She’s since beaten Tom Cruises’ record, having learnt to hold her breath for seven minutes and 15 seconds.
The role comes decades after the pair worked together on Titanic, after which Winslet said she was “genuinely frightened” of the director. She said: “He has a temper like you wouldn’t believe. You’d have to pay me a lot of money to work with Jim again.”
READ MORE: Kate Winslet hasn’t aged a day as she wears 2015 dress at Avatar event
Cliff Curtis – Tonowari (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Cliff Curtis – Tonowari [new]
Cliff Curtis stars as Ronal’s husband, the leader of the Metkayina reef clan.
Curtis had a busy 2022, having starred in Muru, the acclaimed Māori-language action drama released in September, which he says has connections to his role in Avatar.
He explained: “I’m really happy about Muru, which is so grounded in who I am and where I come from. You know, the events in that film took place like an hour from where I live now and where I grew up.
“And then I’ve got Avatar: The Way of Water, which is like a whole other galaxy away, in both its story and the way it’s made. But what’s interesting is that the two films are kind of connected by exploring things around the indigenous experience.”
CCH Pounder – Mo’at (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
CCH Pounder – Mo’at [returning]
Mo’at is the Omaticaya’s spiritual leader, regarded to be a wise and powerful being, and is also the mother of Neytiri.
She is the one who helped Jake permanently move into his Avatar body in the first movie, and is expected to play another major role in the second. Now a grandmother of five, it remains to be seen what that role will be.
Jamie Flatters – Neteyam (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Bailey Bass – Tsireya (Image: GETTY/DISNEY)
Jake and Neytiri’s other children: Jamie Flatters as Neteyam, Britain Dalton as Lo’ak, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuktirey
Other main members: Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore, Brendan Cowell as Captain Mike Scoresby, Jemaine Clement as Dr Ian Garvin, Bailey Bass as Tsireya aka Reya, Filip Geljo as Aonung, Duane Evans Jr as Rotxo, CJ Jones as Metkayina interpreter, Jack Champion as Spider, Joel David Moore as Dr Norm Spellman, Dileep Rao as Dr Max Patel, Matt Gerald as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet and Alicia Vela-Bailey as Zdinarsk.
Avatar: The Way of Water hits UK cinemas on December 16, 2022.
