When Avatar was released in 2009, the film displayed some of the most groundbreaking, technically impressive visual effects ever seen. The indigenous blue-colored species living on Pandora, known as the Na’vi, are filmed entirely in motion capture suits, with most of their surroundings filmed in front of a green screen.
The immense amount of VFX needed for the franchise is only increasing with the upcoming sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. The film’s cast recently sat down with Fandango, where actress Sigourney Weaver discussed what it’s like filming the movie without the added CGI that makes the world of Pandora so believable. She admits it could be quite difficult, though director James Cameron did everything he could to help his actors on set.
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Avatar: The Way of Water will be looking to capture the magic the predecessor held when it was released 13 years ago. The cast and crew will also be hoping for similar financial success, as Cameron’s five-film plan could go up in flames if the upcoming sequel is a box office bomb. Fans can see Avatar: The Way of Water when it makes its long-awaited debut on Dec. 16.
“As an actor when you get down into what we call the Volume you’re basically in your, you know, your capture suit, and there’s nothing around you. There’s no world of Pandora, there’s only the other actors in their little black suits. And there was a screen that Jim Cameron put up for us where you could see a roughed out version of yourself as what you would look like in the finished product in the world of the film. And even that, I must say, the first day looking at that magical transformation just from us standing there I thought, ‘Wow, I can’t believe where this is going.’ It’s going to be such a complete immersion of the audience into this foreign beautiful world and I think it really does that for people.”
Sigourney Weaver Returns in a New Role
20th Century Studios
Sigourney Weaver played Dr. Grace Augustine in the first Avatar film, providing one of the most memorable characters in the movie. Unfortunately, Dr. Grace was killed at the hands of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), with fans assuming the actress wouldn’t return for a sequel.
However, Weaver is once again joining the world of Pandora, although she’s in an entirely different role. This time, the actress plays Kiri, a Na’vi teenager who Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) adopted. She isn’t the only talent returning, as Lang, the first film’s antagonist, makes his way to the sequel. He also died near the end of Avatar, though the villain has transferred to an Avatar body for the upcoming film.
Fans can see Lang, Worthington, Saldana, and Weaver alongside Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Bailey Bass, Jack Champion, and Cliff Curtis when Avatar: The Way of Water arrives in theaters on Dec. 16.
