‘Avatar: The Way of Water’s James Cameron and Kate Winslet

Opening in theaters on December sixteenth is the highly-awaited sequel to 2009’s field workplace smash ‘Avatar,’ entitled ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’

Once once more written and directed by groundbreaking filmmaker James Cameron, the brand new movie picks up greater than a decade after the unique and sees Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his household escaping from the return of Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), and on the lookout for refuge with the reef folks clan of Metkayina, a water-dwelling species on Pandora.

In addition to Worthington and Lang, the movie additionally welcomes again Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, CCH Pounder as Mo’at, and Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, in addition to Sigourney Weaver as new character Kiri, who’s the daughter of Dr. Grace Augustine’s avatar.

Joining the forged are Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore, Jermaine Clement as Dr. Ian Garvin, Cliff Curtis as Tonowari the chief of the Metkayina, and reuniting with Cameron for the primary time since ‘Titanic,’ Kate Winslet as Tonowari’s spouse, Ronal.

Also becoming a member of the forged for the sequel are Jamie Flatters and Britain Dalton as Jake and Neytiri’s sons, Neteyam and Lo’ak, respectively. Trinity Bliss performs Jake and Neytiri’s daughter Tuk, whereas Bailey Bass and Filip Geljo play Tonowari and Ronal’s youngsters, Reya and Aonung, respectively. Finally, Jack Champion joins the forged as Spider, the lengthy misplaced son of Miles Quaritch.

Moviefone not too long ago had the pleasure of touring to London to take a seat down in-person with Oscar-winning director James Cameron and Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet to speak concerning the work on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’

The filmmaker mentioned the sequel, the challenges of creating it, how the expertise has modified because the authentic, and his plans for extra sequels, whereas Winslet talked about reuniting with Cameron, becoming a member of the sequel, and studying to carry her breathe.

Moviefone: To start with, Mr. Cameron, are you able to speak concerning the efficiency seize fits you used for this movie, and have they modified in any respect from those you used on the unique?

James Cameron: The fits have been the identical. We improved the top rigs a bit. I imply, we improved the whole lot. It was all a prototype after we did it on ‘Avatar.’ We did not understand it was going to work after which we came upon it labored fairly effectively, so then we improved all of it. But the method is similar. It’s simply there isn’t any actual digital camera, there isn’t any set. It’s only a pure interplay between the actors. They adore it and I adore it.

I haven’t got to get distracted by the lighting and the digital camera work, and the Dolly observe and the regular cam stuff. I can simply work immediately with the actors. I had returning forged, clearly, Sigourney, Sam and Zoe, however I additionally had this complete new forged with these children, these newcomers. It was only a pleasure to go to work day-after-day. Not a pleasure essentially at all times through the day if you’re fixing issues and that form of factor. But we actually loved it.

MF: The look of the sequel is unimaginable and is much more spectacular than the unique. Looking ahead to ‘Avatar 3,’ ‘Avatar 4,’ and even probably ‘Avatar 5,’ with expertise continually enhancing, what do you count on these movie’s will appear to be sooner or later?

JC: I believe over time we’ll shift from the novelty worth of being on this planet. We can assume that. You stroll in, you sit down, you possibly can assume it’s going to be immersive as a result of that is our baseline. It’s actually about, how a lot do I care about these characters, and the place’s this story taking me? Where’s this journey taking me?

I imply, we’re at all times going to attempt to usher in wonders, superior moments, wonderful vistas and all that form of factor, however we’re additionally shifting our focus to the story of the characters and the emotion, which I believe is wholesome. Because it should not simply be about fairly footage. The immersive stuff, we all know how to try this so that they’ll all be like that.

MF: Were you already planning for this sequel if you made the unique?

JC: Not actually. No. The solely factor was that when the studio wished to take out the scene the place Grace (Sigourney Weaver) dies and I mentioned, “You can’t take that out. We need that scene. It’s very important. It’s very important for the sequel.” I hadn’t even written the story but, however I knew that there was a connection there.

They wished to take it out and finally it simply become an enormous headbutting contest, and I received. So, it is in (the unique), due to this fact we now have this film, not less than the Kiri character, comes out of that a part of the story.

MF: Are there scenes in ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ that you simply saved in since you wanted them for the following three installments?

JC: Oh yeah. Like I mentioned, it is all written out so we all know precisely.

MF: Have you already shot the whole lot you want for ‘Avatar 3?’

JC: ‘Avatar 3’s performed. I imply, the film’s not performed, however the seize, all of the work with the actors is completed. So, dramatically it is all set in stone. We must undergo the method of creating it look actual and immersive, and all that form of factor. That’ll take a pair years.

Then a part of ‘Avatar 4’ shouldn’t be performed, however the script is completed, and a part of ‘Avatar 4’ has been shot. Because we needed to end with these children as a result of they are not going to be children. In truth, they are not children now.

Jack’s 6 ft 8″ or whatever. He was 12 when I cast him. Trinity Bliss, she’s such a sweet girl. She was seven when I cast her, and she’s now 13 and about two feet taller. So, we had to bottle that lightning while we had it through the first part of movie 4. And then there’s a big time jump, and then we see all the characters six years later.

So, then everybody will be the right age for the continuation of the story. I didn’t want to get caught in that ‘Stranger Things’ thing where they’re still in high school but they look 25. I like ‘Stranger Things,’ don’t get me wrong. It’s fine and I go with it that they’re still teenagers.

MF: Kate, what was it like for you to reunite with James Cameron for the first time since ‘Titanic’ on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water?’

Kate Winslet: Yeah, very long time ago. Yeah, it’s 26 years ago. It was amazing and absolutely incredible. The script was always going to be phenomenal because it’s ‘Avatar.’ Again, for Jim, it’s a world he created. He writes for women in a way that is extraordinary.

He always creates strong, not just female characters, but female leaders, women who are powerful mothers who lead with integrity. So, I just appreciated being asked. I was excited to jump in. I absolutely loved every minute of it. It was a wonderful experience.

MF: Director James Cameron has said that he knew he wanted to do a sequel to ‘Avatar’ pretty quickly after finishing the original. When did he ask you to be a involved in the sequel?

KW: It was I guess quite a long time. He first mentioned something to me almost in passing back in 2014 or 2015. I guess it was around that time. I had seen him for an event in LA and he said, “Oh, we now have to get you massive and blue someday.” I said, “Oh yeah, I’d love that.” The seed was sown.

Then in late 2017 was when he actually called and said, “I actually do need to ship you this script.” He described Ronal to me as being a female warrior goddess, and leader of a clan. I just thought, my God, if it really is that, this could be extraordinary.

I read the script and loved it, and was particularly taken by not only the elements of family and motherhood, but also this added physical challenge of learning how to free dive and breath hold, which I was just so excited by and not remotely daunted by. I had no fear around the idea of any of that. I just loved learning something new in my 40s.

It’s so funny, when you are young, you think you’ve learned all of the new things that you could learn, and as an adult, we close our minds off to the possibility of learning something new. So, to be in a situation that provided this wonderful opportunity for me was just amazing.

MF: Finally, I understand that you broke a record on set because you were able to hold your breath for seven minutes and 12 seconds, is that correct?

KW: Seven minutes and 14 seconds. You have to oxygenate your body, and there’s a whole breathing sequence that you do, and it’s quite a considerable process. It’s not to be tried at home and you cannot do it by yourself. Actually, that’s a very important safety thing.

You really mustn’t do it alone because what happens is when people surface from having held their breath, there’s a particular breathing sequence that you need to do the minute you hit the surface. If you don’t do that, you could be in danger of blacking out, and that’s when people run into trouble. That was the thing I learned, first of all, which we all did, was the safety. Once you know what you’re doing, it certainly makes things a lot easier.

I just loved the whole process. It was amazing. Yeah, seven minutes, 14 seconds. I was incredibly proud of myself and really determined that I was going to do it, I was going to do a big breath hold that day. I had my heart set on it. I even said to my husband, “Don’t come to work right this moment to observe as a result of I simply don’t desire the stress of you being there.”

But actually, he was there. He snuck in and he actually videoed the last part of my breath hold. We got it on camera, me surfacing and going, “Am I useless? What occurred?” Straight away, I’m like, “How lengthy was that?” It’s fairly cool!