All about ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’: James Cameron and his cast on returning to Pandora

The visionary filmmaker, along with actors Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña and Kate Winslet, on filming for the ‘Avatar’ sequel, breaking cinematic ground yet again, and how the storyline has progressed over the last decade

Director James Cameron behind the scenes of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ | Photo Credit: Mark Fellman

He is back – and how. 

Thirteen years after his last directorial, Avatar in 2009 – the highest grossing film in history with more than $2.8 billion in global box office – James Cameron returns with his sequel to the epic sci-fi phenomenon.

Avatar: The Way of Water will see actors Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña reprise their iconic roles of Jake Sully and Neytiri from the first film, now playing loving parents who have lived a peaceful life for more than a decade with the Omatikaya clan. When their utopia is suddenly threatened yet again by human forces, they are forced to travel across Pandora and flee to underwater territory that is held by the Metkayina clan, led by Ronal (Oscar winner Kate Winslet in a reunion with her Titanic director after 25 years) and Tonowari (Cliff Curtis).

Now, they must navigate life and acceptance in their new community, all the while keeping danger at bay from the ‘Sky People’ who will stop at nothing to colonise Pandora, and make it the new home for humanity as Earth is almost inhabitable.

Along with other returning cast members — Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang — and newer additions like Jack Champion, Bailey Bass and James Flatters, director James Cameron (Titanic, Aliens, Terminator 2) promises yet another spectacle for the ages, even as his visionary mind already traces the development of three further Avatar sequels to arrive in 2024, 2026 and 2028.

The pioneering filmmaker, who heralded the 3D renaissance movement that changed the global movie industry as we know it, also brings another first-of-its-kind innovation to Avatar: The Way of Water — the concept of underwater performance capture, now awaited with breathtaking anticipation, thanks to Cameron’s unprecedented development of deep ocean exploration vehicles and expeditions to some of the world’s deepest trenches.

Ahead of the film’s theatrical release on December 16, we speak to James Cameron and some of his actors in a global press conference. Excerpts:

James Cameron

Conceiving the ‘Avatar’ sequel:

It’s funny, because it seems obvious to everyone that since we made a bunch of money, we should just do a sequel right? Well, Stephen Spielberg didn’t do a sequel to E.T. even though it was the highest-grossing film in its time, did he now… it’s not a no-brainer at all; how can you predict that lightning will strike twice in the same spot?

Director James Cameron on the sets of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ | Photo Credit: Mark Fellman

Back when we did Avatar, the characters were simpler, as was the story. Now, we go a lot deeper, in terms of the heart and emotions as well. I was inspired by the fact that both Zoe and Sam are both parents, and I’m a parent of five; so we wanted to get into the family dynamics, and the responsibilities of having kids. And also explore what that’s like from the kid’s perspective.

You learn fear when you have kids; when you have something greater than yourself that you could lose. 

Creating strong female characters

It was easy enough with Zoe’s character, Neytiri, because she’s very strong in the first film. But then we explore what happens when she becomes a mother and when her children are the priority. Similarly, what’s her new social standing now? She has to go before Ronal and the Metkayina, and be kind of submissive. But that doesn’t last very long with her and sparks are struck between the two alpha females very quickly. That resolves over time, not just within this film, but across the entire franchise as well.

As for Kate’s character, well she goes into battle – I don’t think this is a spoiler, because it’s in the trailer – six months’ pregnant, but she does not hesitate. When her kids are in jeopardy, she’s on the move. 

Revelling in the CGI

I first watched the movie six months ago; unfinished, without the visual effects, not in 3D. 

Then I watched the completed version again a week ago… and what really struck me – looking past all the spectacle, the creatures and design – was the work, the performances, the people, you know? I see scenes when there’s no dialogue, and yet it’s close-up, and there’s a whole dialogue in the eyes.

Director James Cameron and actor Sam Worthington | Photo Credit: Mark Fellman

The subtlety of that being preserved gives us permission when we’re in the capture space to be as detailed and specific as we want to be. If you’re just being generic… well, that’s not the challenge that we want at this stage in our lives and careers.

We want to find just the right timbre for every moment. But if you can’t trust the downstream process, and that it’s going to come through in the CG characters, then what’s the point? So I’m very proud not only of what we created together, but how that was preserved into these final fantasy characters that are not human. 

How James Cameron cracked underwater performance capture

For the Avatar sequel, Cameron and his team had to determine how to capture performances under water, something that had never been done before

To help them give better performances underwater, the cast of actors studied free diving with internationally-renowned expert Kirk Krack

The makers used a massive tank which functioned as the films’ underwater “Volume,” as performance-capture stages are known, which stood 120 feet long, 60 feet wide and 30 feet deep and holding more than 250,000 gallons of water

Performance capture for the film began in September of 2017 and ran for roughly 18 months, with James Cameron and the cast working on scenes for all four of the sequels

Cameron also used a revolutionary Virtual Camera to create the specific shots, which allowed the director to shoot scenes within his computer-generated world, just as if he were filming at a real location or on a Hollywood soundstage

The shots and performances were delivered to the visual effects experts at Peter Jackson’s Academy Award-winning visual effects powerhouse Wētā FX in New Zealand

Also… all the crowd scenes in this film with over 100 people; it’s just the same 10 actors moving around! (laughs) It’s a small group and we all love each other and enjoy the process. 

Sam Worthington

Getting up to speed, 13 years later

So Jim gave me a script that was Avatar 1.5 of sorts, that itself was detailed and took us through the last decade in these characters’ lives. Jim realised that the story was about them being warriors and taking on the battles of the clans, but it was also the natural extension of this love story. It gave us a good jumping off point to understand how to fill in the gap that’s missing.

Sam Worthington (Jake Sully) in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

​​In The Way of Water, Jake’s (Sully) opened his eyes to love; the love of culture, the planet and Neytiri. They have a family, and it’s about the protection of that love and that world. His partner in crime is a very fiery person. He just tries to be the earth, and we just happen to have a lot of water. It’s very elemental. 

Actors Stephen Lang, Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington | Photo Credit: CHUNG SUNG-JUN

Zoe Saldaña

Resonating with Neytiri like never before

Neytiri and I, in a way, have lived parallel lives. There is a level of fearlessness and rebellion in me that relates to her, and we found kindred in that. The leap of falling in love with something outside of you, that challenges you to see something that you’ve never seen before… that has always been her dilemma. She also deals with fear. In my personal life, when I became a parent, fear entered my realm; the fear of losing something that you love so much, you know? You just spend so much time creating these hypothetical scenarios. 

Zoe Saldana (Neytiri) and Sam Worthington (Jake Sully) in a still from the film

When I read the second script, that was her, that was Neytiri. But I didn’t see it then. I see it now.

Kate Winslet

A Titanic-scale reunion with the master

Jim expects the absolute best of everything. Working with him is precision, it’s meticulous, it’s thorough — but the thing that pulled me in most of all, is the characters that he’s created. Jim has always written for women, characters who are not just strong, but they are leaders. They lead with their heart, with integrity, they stand in their truth and own their power. They have physical power that is admirable, and to be part of that… I was so flattered that Jim asked me.

Kate Winslet and James Cameron attend the world premiere of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in London | Photo Credit: GARETH CATTERMOLE

When I got there, I was welcomed into this world that was already created by these guys. What Zoe and Sam did the first time around, was to create that heartbeat. It’s one thing for Jim to write it, but quite another to find it, give it a life and a pulse and real blood in those veins. 

It was quite extraordinary to be around that. It’s not a performance; it is a universe. It is a love, something that is palpable, and you feel it once you step into that space. It’s an empty space, but it is absolutely loaded with truths and dynamics and pulses that these guys built.

Kate Winslet plays Ronal, the Tsahik or Shamanic Matriarch of the Metkayina clan

Breaking an underwater record

(Kate Winslet held her breath for a staggering seven minutes and 15 seconds while filming the Avatar sequel, a record of sorts in Hollywood)

I actually have a video of when I surfaced from that breath hold, and the only reason I have it is because my husband snuck in! You’ll see me surfacing saying, “Am I dead, am I dead, have I died?” Then, I straightaway wanted to know my time, and I couldn’t believe that it was over seven minutes. I wanted James to know right away, that’s the first thing I wanted to do!