Avatar 2 ‘sneak peek’ released as James Cameron returns to director’s chair

James Cameron has returned to filming on his forthcoming Avatar sequel for the first time since the pandemic, and a behind-the-scenes photo has been released in celebration.

The director, producer Jon Landau and numerous crew members have now completed their required 14 days of quarantine after controversially returning to New Zealand.

Avatar 2 suspended filming as coronavirus continued to spread around the world, but – alongside Jurassic World: Dominion – it’s one of the first Hollywood films to get its production back on track.

The new sneak peek shows Cameron in the director’s chair of what he claims will be a revolutionary film for the advancement of visual effects.

In 2018, the director revealed why it’s taken him so long to begin shooting the sequels, blaming underwater motion-capture technology – something he claims has “never been done before”.

Other behind-the-scenes images to have been released include one showing Kate Winslet in action as a brand new character.

For the film, it was reported the Titanic star was required to hold her breath underwater for seven minutes.

Another shows Sigourney Weaver – who will reprise her role from the 2009 original – smiling alongside Cameron, who also directed her in the 1986 film Aliens.

The Avatar sequels wil reunite Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Weaver, alongside new cast members Winslet, Vin Diesel, Jermaine Clement, Michelle Yeoh and Edie Falco.

Avatar 2 is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 17 December, 2021.

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