'Avatar 2' plot will feature a hefty time jump

When the long-awaited Avatar 2 finally hits screens, it won’t be picking up directly from the final scenes of the first movie.

Director James Cameron has revealed that the sequel is set more than eight years after Avatar, with characters Jake Sully and his Na’vi love Neytiri now parents to an eight-year-old daughter.

And the helmsman has also said that things in the Sully housearen’t necessarily rosy.

He told Empire: “There’s a three-page argument scene between Jake and Neytiri, a marital dispute, very, very critical to the storyline.

“I wound up shooting it all from the point of view of the 8-year-old hiding under the structure and peeking in.

“Having gone through the experience with [Sam Worthington] on Avatar, I now knew how to write the Jake character going forward across the emotional rollercoaster of the next four movies. It’s been tough on him.

“He’s done two pictures back to back now, because we did 2 and 3 together. He had to go to some dark places.”

Indeed, the long-in-gestation sequels were filmed together last year, with another film in the pipeline too.

Cameron also revealed that the role of disabled former Marine soldier Sully almost didn’t go to British-born Aussie actor Worthington.

“Chris Evans, and Sam, and Channing Tatum. That was my choice,” he told Empire’s podcast.

“I really liked Channing’s appeal. I liked Chris’ appeal. They were both great guys. But Sam had a quality of voice and a quality of intensity.

“Everybody did about the same on all the material through the script, except for the final speech where he stands up and says, ‘This is our land, ride now, go as fast as the wind can carry you.’

“That whole thing. I would have followed him into battle. And I wouldn’t have followed the other guys. They’ve since gone onto fantastic careers and all that, but Sam was ready. He was ready.”

Avatar 2 is due for release on December 18, 2020, with Avatar 3 following in December 2021, Avatar 4 in December 2024, and Avatar 5 in December, 2025.

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