Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron’s sequel to the 13-year-old Avatar, proved to be a massive box office success, becoming one of the biggest blockbusters of 2022. Despite being a financial risk, the film was met with mostly positive reviews from critics and went on to surpass Titanic in lifetime collections, claiming the title of the third highest-grossing movie in the world.
In a recent interview, Kate Winslet, one of the stars of Avatar: The Way of Water, shared her thoughts on whether her former Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio would be interested in joining the planned sequels of James Cameron’s record-breaking original film, Avatar.
Kate Winslet Shares Doubts About Leonardo DiCaprio Joining Avatar Sequels
The latest creation of Cameron follows the story of Jake and Neytiri as they try to protect their family from a new threat. In Avatar: The Way of Water, the Sully family seeks refuge with the ocean-dwelling Metkayina clan of Na’vi, led by Tonowari and his wife, Ronal, portrayed by Kate Winslet.
While Avatar 3 has already been filmed alongside the latest sequel and is currently in post-production, the fourth and fifth sequels are still in pre-production.
In a recent interview with IMDb, both James Cameron and Kate Winslet were asked about the possibility of a Titanic reunion with DiCaprio in the upcoming sequels. Cameron revealed that neither Avatar 4 nor 5 had been cast yet, leaving the door open for the actor to join the franchise.
However, Kate Winslet expressed doubt that her friend and former co-star would be interested in doing so.
The Titanic star explained,
“No, it’s definitely not Leo’s bag at all. No, he’s more of like a dry land kind of a guy.”
Her comment implies that he might not be keen on portraying a character that primarily interacts with the aquatic world, which is central to the plot of the Avatar sequels. Despite this, the possibility of DiCaprio joining the franchise cannot be entirely ruled out as the casting for the remaining sequels has not been finalized.
Diving Deep: The Revolutionary Underwater Acting Techniques of Avatar: The Way of Water
In the production of Avatar: The Way of Water, director James Cameron utilized innovative performance capture technology to create the film’s stunning underwater scenes. Capturing the natural movements and interactions of the human body in water can be incredibly challenging in CGI animation, so the filmmakers decided to create a massive water tank for the actors to perform in. This approach involved fully submerging actors such as Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, and others, and capturing their movements with performance capture technology.
To make the filming of the underwater sequences possible, the cast had to learn to hold their breath for extended periods of time. This allowed them to remain submerged in the water tank for long periods while they performed their roles. Kate Winslet’s training, in particular, yielded impressive results, as she managed to hold her breath for over seven minutes, surpassing a previous Hollywood record held by Tom Cruise.
While some critics may have reservations about certain aspects of the sequel, there is near-unanimous agreement that the film offers a breathtaking visual experience that audiences have never seen before. The incredible underwater sequences are a testament to the effectiveness of the performance capture technology used in Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as the dedication of the actors who spent a great deal of time in the water tank.
Considering that Avatar: The Way of Water and the third film were filmed back-to-back, it is likely that fans will be treated to more underwater action in the expected follow-up.
While little is known about the specific plot details of Avatar 3, 4, and 5, it is anticipated that each film will explore new regions of Pandora while continuing the story of the Sully family. With Cameron at the helm, it’s safe to assume that the upcoming sequels will continue to push the boundaries of filmmaking and provide audiences with a visually stunning experience.
Avatar: The Way of Water hit theaters on December 16, 2022.
Source: IMDb
