Believe it or not, the Avatar sequels are still very much in development. After over a decade-long wait, the first one will debut in theaters just in time for Christmas 2020, and James Cameron's sci-fi franchise is expected to explode in unforeseen ways. However, like any franchise, Avatar is only as good as its best characters, and it seems that the upcoming sequel is doing everything in its power to bring back fan-favorites. In fact, Avatar 2 has officially tapped Sons of Anarchy and Warehouse 13 star CCH Pounder to rejoin the cast as Mo'at, and we're very excited.
The fact that CCH Pounder will join Avatar 2 (as well as the three other announced sequels) shouldn't surprise fans of the original film because her character still had plenty of narrative potential by the time the credits rolled. Portraying Na'vi spiritual leader Mo'at, Pounder served as an invaluable source of exposition, as well as a conduit into the more mystical side of the Na'vi culture. With Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) now fully immersed in that alien society as a leader and a warrior, we can only assume that she will continue to provide essential guidance as he learns more about Pandora's vibrant and expansive ecosystems.
CCH Pounder's filmography is almost as diverse as Pandora itself. With numerous credits on the big screen as well as on the small screen, she has handily become one of the film industry's most reliable character actresses in recent years. She has appeared in horror films like Orphan, police procedurals like NCIS: New Orleans, and more hard-hitting detective shows like The Shield, so she knows her way around a set.
We still don't know much about the exact narrative structure of the upcoming Avatar sequels, but it has been confirmed that they will once again take audiences back to the alien planet Pandora and that each film will feel like a standalone story in one cohesive universe. With over a decade of technological innovation between the release of the first film in 2009 and its sequel in 2020, we can only begin to imagine what the planet will look like with improved special effects. The first film in this franchise was a marvel, and we wholly expect the sequel to recapture that sense of spectacle. After all, this is a James Cameron production.
CCH Pounder joins a relatively stacked cast of heavy-hitters in the upcoming Avatar sequels. In addition to the Deadline report that The Shield alum is returning for the follow-ups to James Cameron's groundbreaking blockbuster, we also currently know that Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Joel David Moore, and Sigourney Weaver are all slated to reprise their roles. Beyond that, Game of Thrones star Oona Chaplin has also joined Avatar 2, as well. When you put all of that together, you're left with a film that seems to have an abundance of acting talent in every frame. Now it's just a matter of seeing how James Cameron will harness that acting prowess in the final cut of the movie.
Avatar 2 is currently slated to debut in theaters on December 18, 2020. Until then, take a look at our 2017 movie premiere guide for more information about the rest of the major movie releases set to hit the silver screen this year.
