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The Avatar franchise is a unique one in regards to its timing. James Cameron's original 2009 blockbuster broke box office records, and pushed the boundaries regarding what visual effects and motion capture was capable of. A sequel seemed like an obvious choice, with Cameron crafting a five-film narrative revolving around Pandora and its residents. And while theme park attractions kept Avatar at the center of pop culture, the road toward the sequels has been long. Filming had finally begun prior to sets being shut down, and now we can see our very first glimpse at Sigourney Weaver. And she's looking surprisingly familiar.
Sigourney Weaver played Dr. Grace Augustine in Avatar, as both a human and Na'vi avatar. She's set to appear in James Cameron's long-gestating sequels, although she was reportedly playing a new character. The first image of Weaver from the set just dropped, and she's actually looking just like Grace. Check it out below.
After these years, the Avatar sequels are finally happening. The above photo reunites some of the people responsible for making the upcoming blockbusters a reality, including none other than Sigourney Weaver. And Grace isn't looking too bad for a dead lady.
This Avatar 2 set photo comes to us from the official Twitter of the Avatar franchise. Sigourney Weaver is pictured alongside Producer Jon Landau and co-star Joel David Moore. All three of them worked on the original Avatar, and are once again collaborating to make the upcoming sequels happen. Moore played Dr. Norm Spellman in the first film, a member of the Avatar Program who chose the side of the Na'vi in the movie's final conflict. Let's hope they found a way for him to breathe the air on Pandora during the sequel.
Avatar is currently available to stream on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.
Exactly what scene is being worked on in the Avatar 2 set photo is a total mystery. There is a chance that this is a flashback sequence, which would explain why Sigourney Weaver is once again playing Grace, given the character's fate in the first movie. The set does look like it's their base from Avatar, which they used to transport their mind into the body of a Na'vi.
Seeing Sigourney Weaver as Grace is a big surprise, as the character tragically died during the first movie. And while Jake brought him to the Tree of Souls in an attempt have her consciousness transferred to her avatar, she was too injured for the process to work. You can check out the scene in question as a reminder below.
That looked like a pretty concrete death, and Sigourney Weaver previously revealed that she's going to be playing a new character in the upcoming Avatar sequels. Exactly who remains to be seen, but it looks like there will be at least some of her original character in the film-- in one way or another.
Avatar 2 should follow our familiar group of characters 12 years after the events of the first film. After living on Pandora for that time, the conflict will return when R.D.A. and Stephen Lang's villainous Miles Quaritch (who also died in the first movie).
Avatar 2 is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 17th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies once they reopen.
