Empire Magazine has dropped another official photo and cover for Avatar: The Way of the Water, revealing Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver’s entirely new role in James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel. It has been confirmed that Weaver is portraying the role of Kiri, a Na’vi teenager who’s the adoptive daughter of Jake and Neytiri.
Sigourney Weaver as Kiri graces () the subscriber-exclusive cover of @EmpireMagazine. Experience #AvatarTheWayOfWater only in theaters December 16. pic.twitter.com/AZKmdl8Qeh
— 20th Century Studios (@20thcentury) July 1, 2022
“I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents,” Weaver tells Empire. “I felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot of the time. She’s searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim.” #Avatarhttps://t.co/G3B1ZPZ0MV
— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) July 1, 2022
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The Alien star previously played the role of Dr. Grace Augustine, the exobiologist who was the leader of RDA’s Avatar program. Because of her character’s death in the 2012 film, Cameron enlisted the acclaimed veteran action star for the challenge of playing a teenage character.
“As an acting challenge, it’s big,” Cameron said. “We’re gonna have a 60-something actor playing a character [decades younger than] her actual biological age. Sig thought it was all kinds of fun.”
He added, “Sigourney just became younger. She looked younger, she had more energy, and she never quite stepped out of Kiri for our whole capture period. She had a glow on her face and lightness in her step and a fun spirit.”
The sequel is directed and co-written by James Cameron. It features the return of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, Matt Gerald, and Sigourney Weaver. Additional cast members include Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Vin Diesel, Jemaine Clement, and Oona Chaplin, alongside a slate of young actors.
“Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), 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,” says the official synopsis.
RELATED: Avatar: The Way of Water Trailer Previews James Cameron’s Sequel
Currently, Avatar 2 is set to be released on December 16, 2022, after being pushed back a handful of times. Following that are three additional films, with Avatar 3 tentatively scheduled for December 20, 2024, Avatar 4 set for December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028.
