Avatar: The Way Of Water Will Reunite James Cameron With Three Of His Most Iconic Female Leads
Some of the best directors, as groundbreaking as they are, often apply the tried and tested route of working with cast members they've already collaborated with. Greta Gerwig has Saoirse Ronan, Scorsese has Leonardo DiCaprio, and James Cameron seemingly has a whole squad of stars he's filled his previous work with. Familiar favorites like Michael Biehn, the late Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, and Lance Henriksen were always lingering in the background behind screen titans that were present in the forms of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Sigourney Weaver. They were walking, talking easter eggs that were welcome additions to the viewing experience.
In the case of Cameron's next little cinematic outing, that's been 13 years in the making, and he's done it again on a higher level. "Avatar: The Way of Water" sees Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña reprising their roles as Jake Sully and Neytiri. These star-crossed CGI lovers are again called into action to protect Pandora from invading forces, and they will have allies to join in their fight. What's particularly special in this long-anticipated entry, however, is that the addition of two cast members sets up a monumental moment. One that would host three stars from Cameron's previous work that aren't just the result of a franchise almost decades in the making but what would encapsulate this self-proclaimed king of the world with three queens he owes his entire career to.
The Way of Water will unite Ripley, Rose, and Neytiri in a historical moment in Cameron's career
In 2009, we were treated to seeing the former queen of the "Aliens" cross paths with a new species of space being from James Cameron's brain with "Avatar." Sigourney Weaver's Grace Augustine shared the screen with Zoe Saldaña's Neytiri, providing a pivotal cinematic crossroads in Cameron's history. In the case of "The Way of Water," Weaver is returning along with another major player in the filmmaker's back catalog; Kate Winslet. The "Titanic" star earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 1999 film opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (via IMDb), who even suffered hypothermia for her troubles on set. Incredibly, spending weeks in a water tank didn't phase her too much after she signed onto the upcoming sequel to do it all again.
The new film will see Winslet play Ronal, queen of the Metkayina clan and mate to Cliff Curtis' Tonowari. As the newest "The Way of Water" trailer suggests, the group that lives separately from Neytiri's Omaticaya clan appears to reside closer to Pandora's seas and may deliver an even more action-packed role than her previous stint with Cameron on the period drama that came with extra ice. But as great as it is to see these three legendary actresses all working together on a film with a director that helped define their careers, there's every chance that one character might stop them from sharing the screen altogether.
Might Neytiri not make it through The Way of Water, dashing dreams of three stars sharing screen time?
After picking apart the "Avatar: The Way of Water" trailer, one noticeable detail was in Sigourney Weaver's baffling but potentially brilliant return to the franchise as Neytiri and Jake's adopted daughter, Kiri. The Navi youngster talks a lot about hearing a heartbeat to her father, with no clarification of who it is she's referring to. The first guess we made is that, she could be referring to Eywa, the spirit Neytiri's people follow, hinting at a connection the same way Mo'at, Neytiri's mother, possessed. However, with the talk of life and death, Kiri could be referring to someone we'd be surprised to see fall in the new sequel.
Is there a chance that, given her limited appearance in the recent footage, Neytiri doesn't make it through the new installment, and Kiri is referring to her late mother's spirit after her death? It would be a wild choice that would have interesting repercussions on Jake's family and his character, with his history as an outsider potentially causing new conflicts both in and outside his tribe. For the true film nerds, it might also blow away any chance of seeing the three women behind Ripley, Rose, and Neytiri all on screen together, in CGI form at least. For now, all we can do is wait until December 16 to see if this triple threat for the ages comes to pass or not.