Avatar: The Way of Water is based on James Cameron's own family, says Sigourney Weaver. Along with Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, and Matt Gerald, the iconic Aliens actress is one of many original Avatar stars returning in the upcoming sequel. However, instead of Dr. Grace Augustine who died during the events of the first film, Weaver will be returning in a surprisingly different role as Kiri, Jake and Neytiri's adopted teenage daughter.
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While plot details for The Way of Water remain thin, the sequel will be set more than a decade after the first film and revolve around the Sully family as they protect one another from the various dangers on Pandora. Based on the movie's marketing campaign, the sequel appears to have two main things going for it – water and family. The first Avatar 2 trailer showcased Pandora's breathtaking ocean views and the Sully family dynamics, ending with the only spoken line of dialogue, "This family is our fortress."
During a recent interview with Variety promoting her new film The Good House, Weaver revealed some insight into Cameron's highly-anticipated tentpole. The Avatar: The Way of Water actor says that Jake and Neytiri's close-knit Navi tribe in the film is "very much based on" the filmmaker's own family. Read what Weaver shared below:
The story is about family, about our families trying to stay together [and] the lengths to which we all go to protect each other and protect the place where we live. It’s very much based on Jim’s family and his joy in the family; and also, how vulnerable you are when you have children.
Why Family Is So Important In Avatar 2
Weaver's comments reveal some insight into why family is such an important theme in Avatar 2. Cameron is the father of four children and, likely not by coincidence, Jake and Neytiri have four children in The Way of Water. Cameron and his wife, Suzy Amis, also act as guardians of one of their daughter's teenage friends, a real-life experience the filmmaker also appears to have incorporated into Avatar 2's story as Jake and Neytiri also adopt a teenage daughter, Kiri. It appears Cameron is adhering closely to the old adage, "Write what you know."
Prior to Weaver's recent comments, Cameron explained why Jake and Neytiri have a family in Avatar 2. Based on his own life experience, these family dynamics raise the sequel's emotional stakes, which the writer/director contrasted with Marvel and DC films, which feature superheroes who often do not have children and therefore, do not experience the same kind of vulnerability that Weaver describes. Avatar: The Way of Water will deliver all the spectacle audiences expect, but at the core of the film is a tender story about family, which comes straight from Cameron's heart and his own life experience.