Sigourney Weaver plays a teenager in 'Avatar: The Way Of Water'
Sigourney Weaver will play an adopted teenager in Avatar: The Way Of Water.
While it was known the actor would return for the sequel, her role has been left a mystery after her character, Dr. Grace Augustine, died in the original 2009 film.
- READ MORE: Avatar 2: Everything we know about the upcoming sci-fi epic
As revealed by Empire, Weaver will play an entirely new character in the sequel called Kiri – the adopted teenage daughter of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) who is a blue Na’vi.
“I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents,” Weaver said. “I certainly do. I was 5’10” or 5’11” when I was 11. 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.”
? WORLD-EXCLUSIVE ALERT ?
Meet Sigourney Weaver’s brand new character in #Avatar: The Way Of Water – Jake and Neytiri’s teenage Na’vi daughter, Kiri.
READ MORE: https://t.co/G3B1ZPZ0MV pic.twitter.com/4OiupFplkO
— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) July 1, 2022
Speaking about Weaver’s character, director James Cameron said: “As an acting challenge, it’s big. 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.”
Other confirmed cast members reprising their roles include Stephen Lang (Colonel Miles Quaritch), Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge), Joel David Moore (Dr. Norm Spellman), Dileep Rao (Dr. Max Patel, CCH Pounder (Mo’at) and Matt Gerald (Corporal Lyle Wainfleet).
Kate Winslet is set to play a “deeply loyal and fearless leader” in the sequel called Ronal, also revealed by Empire. Other new cast members include Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel and CJ Jones.
A synopsis for the sequel reads: “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, 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.”
This is the first of four sequels planned for the original Avatar, with the following three set to be released in 2024, 2026 and 2028 respectively.
Avatar: The Way Of Water is released in cinemas on December 16, 2022.