Just a few weeks ago, the first glimpse at Avatar: The Way of Water was the talk of CinemaCon. Director James Cameron spent years working on the new sequel to Avatar, and it was always going to be an uphill battle to follow the most successful movie of all time. But if the early visuals are any indication, Cameron may have successfully done it. The first teaser trailer made its public debut in theaters with last Friday’s debut of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But now, the trailer is online for everyone to see.
If you’re looking for story details and spoilers, you won’t find any here. This teaser trailer is designed to shock and awe cinema lovers with things both new and familiar. Jake Sully and his wife, Neytiri, are back in a story set 10 years after the original film. We only get a glimpse of their children here as the family explores the oceans of Pandora and the magnificent creatures that live there.
The official description for the sequel is frustratingly vague. But it does hint that some dark times are ahead for the family.
“Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.”
Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña are reprising their respective roles as Jake Sully and Neytiri. The oldest son of the family is named Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), while his younger Na’vi siblings are Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and Tuktirey (Trinity Bliss). Jake and Neytiri have also adopted a human child, Javier “Spider” Socorro (Jack Champion).
The sequel’s expanded cast includes Giovanni Ribisi, CCH Pounder, Cliff Curtis, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, and Vin Diesel. Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang will also return as Dr. Grace Augustine and Colonel Miles Quaritch, respectively. Both characters died in the first film, so the way they come back remains to be seen.
Avatar: The Way of Water will come crashing down into theaters on December 16.
