After a decade, “Avatar” fans can rejoice as the long-delayed teaser trailer for the sequel, “Avatar: The Way Of Water”, has been released, with the full film confirmed for release in cinemas on December 16.
This instalment, set more than a decade after the events of the first film, tells the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their children), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure.
Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the film returns with stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, and newbie Kate Winslet.
The “Titanic” director pushed boundaries in “Way Of The Water” by setting the film primarily under water – it was his way of challenging himself after already making two of the highest grossing movies ever, “Titanic” and “Avatar“.
In an interview with online site Entertainment Weekly, Cameron said: “I mean, if ‘Avatar’ hadn't made so much damn money, we'd never do this – because it's kind of crazy.”
Landau revealed that the story has a universal theme of family.
“Ultimately, the sequels are a story about family, and the lengths parents will go through to keep that family together and keep them safe. I always say that his (Cameron) movies have universal themes — and really, there's no more universal theme than family,” he said.
The much-anticipated film proved to be more challenging than expected as the cast members had to prepare themselves for the underwater dives – but when air bubbles proved troublesome on camera, they then had to train with professional divers until they could free dive, holding their breath for minutes at a time in a 900 000-gallon tank built specifically for the sequels.
Weaver, 72, who returns in a top secret new role after dying in the first film, learned to hold her breath for six-and-a-half minutes, while 46-year-old Winslet held hers for an astounding seven-and-a-half-minutes.
Principal photography has already wrapped on “Avatar 3” (due in 2024), and the fourth and fifth movies are set for 2026 and 2028.
“Avatar: The Way Of Water“ releases in cinemas on December 16.