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Movies & TV

01st Jul 2022

Sigourney Weaver’s role in the upcoming Avatar sequel branded “unique”

Kieran Galpin

It’s definitely different.

While fans have long known that Sigourney Weaver would be involved in the upcoming Avatar sequel, a new interview has revealed the character she will be playing.

Weaver played Dr Grace Augustine in the original, who met a sad and timely end thanks to Stephen Lang’s villainous Colonel.

But after seeing her name on the cast list for follow-up Avatar: The Way of Water, fans wondered whether Augustine would be brought back to life, possibly through Pandora’s mystical god Eywa.

But in a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Weaver cleared up suspicions, alongside a single shot of her new character.

The 72-year-old will play a teenage Na’vi named Kiri, who will be adopted by Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana).

“I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents,” Weaver told the film magazine.

“I certainly do… I felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot of the time. She’s searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim.”

Also interviewed was the movie’s co-writer and director James Cameron who confirmed: “As an acting challenge, it’s big.

“We’re gonna have a 60-something actor playing a character [decades younger than] her actual biological age. Sig thought it was all kinds of fun.

“Sigourney just became younger. She looked younger, she had more energy, and she never quite stepped out of Kiri for our whole capture period.

“She had a glow on her face and lightness in her step and a fun spirit.”

Fans have taken to Twitter to share their delight at the unexpected news, with one person writing: “It’s unique, I’ll give them that.”

“This is the most absolutely unhinged and unpredictable plot decision Jim could have gone with. We love it,” another said.

Avatar: The Way of Water is set for an Irish cinema release on 16 December, 2022.