Avatar: The Way of Water is set to arrive later this year, 13 years after the release of Avatar, and looks to repeat the massive box office success of the 2009 sci-fi blockbuster. James Cameron has promised never-before-seen visuals and an improved 3-D experience for Avatar: The Way of Water, considering those were mainly the factors that led to Avatar becoming the highest-grossing film ever.
Even though Avatar didn’t break any new ground in terms of storytelling, the film did have a memorable antagonist, Miles Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang. The character seemingly met his demise in Avatar after being impaled by giant poison arrows but is somehow set to return in the upcoming sequel, albeit in a different body. Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch was the military commander of the RDA (Resources Development Administration), a shady, non-governmental organization that mined Pandora for valuable minerals.
After their defeat at the hands of the indigenous population Na’vi, the RDA was ousted from the planet. But after a few years of peace, they are back with newer, more dangerous technology: Recombinants, aka Recoms, new avatars embedded with memories of human soldiers. How exactly will this work? Do the soldiers have to be dead or alive? All the questions will be answered when Avatar: The Way of Water comes out this Christmas. For now, you can check out Stephen Lang’s deranged, Na’vi-hating villain in the image below (courtesy of Empire Magazine).
Stephen Lang also discussed Quaritch’s surprise return and how he’ll be even more menacing than before in Avatar: The Way of Water and its subsequent sequels.
"He’s bigger, he’s bluer, he’s pissed off. But there may possibly be an aspect of humility. When you take two Na’vi arrows in the chest, that’s gonna have some kind of effect on you. [He] was always a character who moved in straight lines and at right angles. But now he is as lithe as they come. He can move with the same kind of cunning and feral quality that any of the Na’vi can."
Stephen Lang Isn’t The Only Avatar Actor Returning In Avatar: The Way Of Water
Stephen Lang is reportedly involved in all four Avatar sequels, and rightly so. After his terrific performance as The Blind Man in the Don’t Breathe series, it’s clear why Cameron wanted him back for Avatar: The Way of Water. However, Cameron is also reuniting with another actor whose character died in the 2009 film – Sigourney Weaver.
The Aliens star played Dr. Grace Augustine in Avatar, and while her character’s death is final, Weaver will be taking up another role in Avatar: The Way of Water: Jake Sully and Neytiri’s adopted teenage daughter, Kiri. Weaver, 79, is excited about playing a teenage girl and is thankful to Cameron for providing her with a fun challenge. Here’s what she told Empire recently:
"I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents. 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."
Avatar: The Way of Water will also feature returning cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, and Matt Gerald alongside newcomers Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Cliff Curtis, and Vin Diesel. Avatar: The Way of Water will hit the screens on December 16, 2022.