The sequels to the 2009 Blockbuster film Avatar are officially in motion, and the film’s stars Zoë Saldana and Sam Worthington are back onboard!
E! News confirms Saldana and Worthington will reprise the starring roles of Neytiri and Jake Sully in the next three installments of the Avatar film series. The publication also reports that the film’s director James Cameron will be filming the sequels back-to-back with projected annual release dates for three consecutive years in a row.
The second installment of the epic science fiction action film is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide in December 2016. The third installment will be released the following year in December 2017, with the fourth to be released right after in December 2018.
Cameron recently discussed the distinct similarities and variations of Saldana and Worthington’s characters, also expressing his gratification of the two returning for the upcoming sequels. “Jake Sully is a rare combination of passion, strength, street smarts and soul, which requires a lot from an actor. Sam brought to the role a combination of sensitivity, vulnerability and strength,” Cameron explained.
“Zoë captured every aspect of the character I envisioned, bringing to Neytiri a mix of delicacy, fierceness and incredible physicality. I am beyond pleased they’ll be returning with us to Pandora.”
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The direction and production of the Avatar sequels will be a collaborative effort between Cameron and his producing partner Jon Landau. An A-list team of screenwriters have also been incorporated to develop the scripts for each film.
The notable screenwriters include War of the Worlds‘ Josh Friedman, Rise of the Planet of the Apes‘ Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver and Savages‘ Shane Salerno. All three screenwriters have lauded success with the development of science fiction and thriller-themed scripts.
Avatar is still considered the highest-grossing film of all time at the box office with a worldwide total of $2,782,275,172. Due to the success of the first installment, the highly anticipated sequels are definitely expected to meet or exceed expectations. Although the amazing feat will be quite challenging to top, there’s no doubt that the possibilities are endless.
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