Avatar 2 Will Show Us the Way of The Weeknd

How much unobtanium do we think that Avatar: The Way of Water had to mine in order to cut this deal? On Sunday, The Weeknd tweeted a short clip that hints that he’ll appear on the Avatar 2 soundtrack. The 12-second video includes background vocals, a cerulean letter A with a bird in the middle, and a December 16 release date (the same day that the long-awaited sequel hits theaters). Shortly after the singer posted the teaser, Avatar’s official account followed him, and Avatar producer Jon Landau shared a photo to welcome him to “the Avatar family.” All signs certainly point to a musical collaboration, but we like to imagine that in some alternate universe, he is actually joining Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet in the cast. The Na’vi have warriors, and they could have pop stars, too. It’s called range. Besides, The Montrr (look it up) has a nice ring to it.

Avatar 2: Why You Should Care, Even If You Think Avatar Sucks

Everybody may have seen the original 2009 Avatar, but that doesn’t mean James Cameron’s sci-fi epic was for everyone, and in spite of its massive box office success, its detractors and critics seem more numerous than its hardcore fans. The long-awaited 2022 sequel Avatar 2, officially “Avatar: The Way of Water” doesn’t seem to have the same amount of hype as you’d see ahead of the latest installment in another blockbuster franchise like Marvel, Star Wars, DC, Fast & Furious - and while a longer wait between installments often means more excitement, it's possible the thirteen-year wait has made moviegoers lukewarm on a return to the planet Pandora. That said, there’s a damn good reason to give this movie the benefit of the doubt: between Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, James Cameron’s track record for sequels is unmatched. And hey, the last two movies he made about stuff happening in the water, Titanic and The Abyss, weren’t too bad either. So, even if you don’t care about Jake Sully (that’s Sam Worthington’s character), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana’s), and the rest of the Na’vi denizens of the frontiers of Pandora (whose ranks now include Sigourney Weaver, playing a Na’vi teenager, and Kate Winslett) you can’t say you’re not at least a little bit curious what one of the 20th century’s most influential filmmakers has been doing for a good chunk of the 21st. Regardless of how good (or bad) James Cameron’s epic is, or how much money it rakes in, or whether we ever actually get Avatar 3, Avatar 4, and Avatar 5 (or Avatar 6 and Avatar 7, which Cameron apparently has ideas for) the fact that Avatar 2 exists is a fascinating anomaly in modern filmmaking. The Avatar 2 trailer got plenty of views, but with a 3-hour and 12-minute run time, we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg - and it probably looks a lot better in IMAX 3D. To make Avatar 2, Cameron had to literally figure out The Way of Water in order to do motion-capture with his actors holding their breath underwater while performing in a 900,000-gallon tank. James Cameron interviews are always interesting on some level, but after hearing the filmmaker talk about what’s gone into this sequel - and potentially the 2-6 Avatar sequels after this one - it’ll be fascinating to finally see for ourselves.

Colonel Quaritch is returning for Avatar: The Way of Water, but the Avatar villain might play a surprising part in the long-awaited sequel. More than 13 years after the groundbreaking Avatar, audiences will return to Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water, a movie that will revisit the now Na’vi Jake Sullen and his family. Previous Avatar 2 trailers have not revealed much about the story and instead focused on Pandora’s gorgeous visuals, but they offer enough context for audiences to theorize what will happen in The Way of Water. The Avatar sequel never announced an official villain, although the RDA is confirmed to be in Pandora again.

Although Avatar teased that there were other Pandora clans besides the Omaticaya, not much was shown from the fictional world beyond Neytiri’s family and how they connect with the Pandora environment. Avatar 2 is expected to show other sides of Pandora, including underwater Na’vi clans, meaning that the conflict between the Na’vi and the RDA humans might not be the only focus of the story. Still, not only is the RDA returning to Pandora somehow, but Miles Quaritch is also returning for the sequel, albeit with a twist. While the most logical assumption is that Quaritch will once again be a villain, Avatar 2 could surprise audiences and have the now Na’vi Recombinant save Pandora.

Related: Avatar 2: Everything We Know About Jake & Neytiri's Kids

Quaritch Isn't The Same In Avatar 2

Miles Quaritch’s return in Avatar: The Way of Water is arguably one of the most surprising news about the Avatar sequel along with Sigourney Weaver’s cast as a completely different character. Both Quaritch and Dr. Grace died in the first Avatar, but only the former is actually returning for the sequel as Weaver now plays Jake and Neytiri’s daughter Kiri. Although Quaritch’s human body was deceased by the end of Avatar, it seems like his consciousness survived long enough for it to be uploaded on a Recombinant Na’vi body. Not much is known about when and how the RDA was able to save Quaritch’s brain and upload it into a new body.

The RDA’s Recombinant soldiers are among the biggest differences between Avatar: The Way of Water and the first Avatar. Unlike the original avatar soldiers shown in Avatar, the Recombinants are said to be all created with the consciousness of dying soldiers who, like Avatar's Quaritch, had their original bodies critically injured at some point. According to The Way of Water producer Jon Landau (via Empire), the RDA is “coming back with an armada,” suggesting that the Recombinants might lead to the humans shifting the power balance now that even seemly dead soldiers can be given an avatar. Quaritch’s experience on the battlefield added to the strength of the artificial Na’vi bodies will surely create a dangerous character.

Quaritch Is Best Placed To Defeat The RDA

Considering how much the Na’vi had to sacrifice to defeat the RDA attack on the Tree of Souls, saving Pandora from another RDA incursion might be too difficult. The RDA is expected to level the fight following their defeat in the first Avatar, as exemplified by the new Recombinant technology. The RDA will also have a new base in Avatar 2, with the focus of their exploration now being on Pandora’s oceans. Jake Sully may have been an RDA soldier, but it’s clear that humanity’s technology and equipment are now far more advanced than what Jake knew. As such, Jake’s advantage against the RDA in the first movie no longer exists.

Quaritch, on the other hand, has probably been involved in every step of the RDA’s development since the Tree of Souls battle. Quaritch must have been one of the first Recombinants, if not the first, and he may be behind the RDA’s strategy of exploring the Pandora oceans. That said, while it makes sense for Quaritch to be Avatar: The Way of Water’s villain, the character has a lot of potential to become an antihero. Quaritch would have the knowledge and the skills necessary to defeat the RDA should he ever find redemption, similar to how Jake Sully knew exactly how to defend Pandora from the RDA soldiers in Avatar.

Related: Why Avatar 2 Is Such A Huge Test For 2022's Box Office

Avatar 2 Shouldn't Recycle Quaritch As The Main Villain

The biggest reason why Quaritch should be an antihero or perhaps even find redemption in Avatar: The Way of Water is that the sequel must avoid recycling the story from the first movie. Avatar’s pop culture legacy has been a topic of debate for over a decade, especially because many consider the first film’s plot to be way too simple for a film that has undoubtedly changed the industry and how cinema is made. The first movie did have a very straightforward story, and Avatar's visuals of Pandora added to the groundbreaking 3D technology were far more remarkable than the plot itself. For that reason, Avatar 2 will have to do something different.

The Way of Water is also expected to be a visual spectacle considering that 13 years have passed since the first Avatar, and the Avatar 2 trailers have all focused on the Pandora visuals rather than the plot. Still, The Way of Water will have to feel much bigger and more unpredictable than the first movie to justify the decade-long wait for the Avatar sequel. Quaritch as Avatar: The Way of Water villain would just repeat what the first movie already did, and it would make limit the story options for the sequel. Avatar 2 has the opportunity to explore more nuanced villains, perhaps even setting up a conflict within the Na’vi.

Instead of once again opposing the Na’vi, it would be interesting for Quaritch to create some sort of personal connection with Pandora and realize that the planet must be protected rather than attacked. What exactly would lead Quaritch to change his views is difficult to say, but having Avatar’s first villain go through a redemption arc in Avatar: The Way of Water would sure be an inspired story decision. Although the Recombinant technology is designed to create more Na’vi-like soldiers for the RDA, the fact that Quaritch is no longer fully human could be the starting point for his redemption. That would mirror Jake’s journey in Avatar.

What Quaritch's Redemption Means For Avatar's Future Sequels

Having Colonel Quaritch return for Avatar: The Way of Water after the character died in Avatar only for him to repeat his role in the first movie would be a waste. A Quaritch redemption arc would make sure not only that Avatar 2 feels different from Avatar but also that future Avatar sequels could follow a unique character. Quaritch’s redemption, if it happens, will naturally be a lot different from Jake’s Avatar character arc. Whatever reason leads Quaritch to fight for and save Pandora in The Way of Water can set the tone for the character’s role in Avatar 3, with Quaritch serving as a reluctant anti-hero.

Related: James Cameron's 3D Criticism Is A Great Sign For Avatar 2

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Quaritch going from a villain to someone who fights for Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water would also mean that Avatar 3 can have a different villain from the RDA. The unique world of Pandora is the most interesting thing about Avatar, and it is not far-fetched to imagine that there may be other threats hiding on the planet. While humanity’s attack on Pandora is crucial to Avatar’s story, such a conflict is simply not enough to sustain the three other Avatar sequels – much less the recently teased Avatar 6 and 7. In a way, the Recombinant Na’vi Quaritch can be to the Avatar sequels what the reprogramed T-800 was to Cameron’s Terminator 2.