More than three years ago, Fast & Furious star Vin Diesel posted an Instagram video which featured him on the set of the Avatar sequels with director James Cameron. Because of this, many have speculated that Diesel may have landed a part in Cameron’s long-in-development Avatar films.
Now, in a recent interview with Empire, Avatar: The Way of Water producer Jon Landau has finally set the record straight regarding the rumors of Diesel’s casting. Landau confirmed that the Guardians of the Galaxy alum has not officially been cast and will not appear in the upcoming sequels. As for Diesel’s video, he explained that the Groot actor was just visiting the set, as he has always been a fan of Cameron’s work.
“He came in, visited the set one day to see what we were doing and people took that out of context,” Landau said.
The sequel was directed and co-written by James Cameron. It features the return of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, Matt Gerald, and Sigourney Weaver. Additional cast members include Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, Jack Champion, Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, and more.
“Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure,” says the official synopsis.
Three additional films are planned, with Avatar 3 tentatively scheduled for December 20, 2024, Avatar 4 set for December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028.
