Sigourney Weaver Explains Why There Needs to be Four AVATAR Sequels
Sigourney Weaver is already considered to be one of the toughest females in cinema and that reputation goes beyond her roles in the Alien franchise. One of her most memorable roles was in 2009's Avatar, and now she says she's more than ready to head back to Pandora four more times.
In a recent interview with EW, Weaver shares why four films are justified:
“There’s a very good reason why it turned out to be four sequels,” she tells EW of the sequels planned for James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi drama Avatar. “Having read all four of them, I think they’re absolutely extraordinary and worth the wait.”
She calls the follow-ups “a big, big story” that will explore issues of race and the environment much like the original did.
“These films are very much about the peril of this beautiful planet, and [Cameron] is continuing the same themes of greed and callousness of the corporations and plight of the indigenous people,” she explains. “At this point after a long and very satisfying career — I can’t believe it’s been 40 years, but anyway — I’m very excited to be able to work on these four stories.” She laughs. “I can really, really appreciate it.”
But didn't Weaver's character die in the first Avatar film? She doesn't explain how she will be involved in the next films, but says she'll begin working on the sequels this summer.
“I love the way we’re doing them, we’re kind of doing 2 and 3 simultaneously and it’s going to work very well,” she says. “A lot of the heavy lifting has already been done in 1, opening up the world and the characters and everything and I think that Jim has had a wonderful time writing these four, and it’s going to be very exciting bringing them to life.”
“It’s the most ambitious project by far I’ve ever been involved in, and the most moving, the most astonishing, beautiful,” she adds, pointing out that movie technology has once again advanced since Avatar ushered in an age of 3-D filmmaking. “I think all of us who get to be a part of it are just in awe when we see the artwork. It’s just incredible to be living now when we can bring this kind of film experience to the public. Because I think as much as Avatar changed what people want in a film experience, this goes a hundred times farther.”
If you are still a fan of Avatar still have a long time to go before the first sequel arrives in theaters. Avatar 2 is slated to hit theaters on Dec. 18, 2020, the second on Dec. 17, 2021, the third on Dec. 20, 2024, and the fourth only eight years from now, in Dec. 19, 2025.