Last week, James Cameron’s Avatar celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Can you believe it has been a decade since the Na’vii epic? Looking ahead, there is a ton more planned for the franchise, including the return of Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch! Although many of us would have guessed two arrows in the chest would be deadly, no one really dies in Hollywood! Lang teased his upcoming role in Avatar 2 with these words:
Jim indicated to me years ago, before filming on Avatar was completed, that Quaritch had a future. I might have taken that with a grain of salt at the time because we had a few beers. Shortly after Avatar opened Jim mentioned again that the Colonel was coming back, and by then I knew Jim well enough to know that he means what he says and he says what he means.
So awesome! We haven’t seen the last of Colonel Miles Quaritch. Although the 67-year-old actor didn’t believe James Cameron at first, as he told Deadline, the Avatar filmmaker had plans for his character to continue all along. Back in 2017, Cameron even hinted at Stephen Lang’s Avatar character being the main baddie in all four planned films in the franchise. Check out what Cameron previously said:
There’s not a new villian every time, which is interesting. Same guy. Same motherfucker through all four [planned] movies. He is so good and he just gets better. I know Stephen Lang is gonna knock this out of the park.
Now who knows? Plans may have changed since 2017, but Stephen Lang is definitely coming back for Avatar 2 and likely in a very big way! James Cameron recently wrapped a back-to-back production on Avatar 2 and 3 ahead of release dates set for December 21, 2021 and December 22, 2023. Disney also has a slot placed for a fourth and fifth movie in December 2025 and 2027! So strap in for more blue for the majority of the 2020s! But, according to one Avatar producer, these movies will be able to stand alone.
Along with the return of Stephen Lang, Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana’s Neytiri and Sigourney Weaver’s Dr. Grace Augustine will also be part of cast. Avatar 2 has a packed cast, but notably Kate Winslet is joining to play a role titled Ronal, and Jermaine Clement for a character named Dr. Ian Garvin.
After a decade reign, Avatar was recently surpassed at the highest-grossing movie of all time by Avengers: Endgame. The Marvel culmination beat out the 2009 film for the record by $7.8 million for a $2.97 billion in global box office earnings. James Cameron believes it’s a “certainty” his upcoming Avatar sequel will take back the top spot its predecessor held. But in the 2020s, will the Avatar franchise be as successful as it was over a decade prior?
Recently, James Cameron produced a sequel to another popular one of his franchises, Terminator. He even brought back Linda Hamilton in the role for the first time since 1991. Yet, Dark Fate struggled at the box office with a $261 million gross, after a $185 million reported production budget – making it one of 2019’s many sequel bombs.
What do you think? Will Avatar be as big of a success as Avengers: Endgame? Are you excited see more of Stephen Lang’s Colonel Miles Quaritch? Leave a comment below!
