Avatar finally returns to theaters later this month, albeit with remastered visuals that promise to make it a very different experience from the one we all had back in 2009. Even thirteen years on, the blockbuster is one that remains incredibly widely discussed, meaning there's a huge amount of excitement for December's Avatar: The Way of Water.
A number of actors will return in the sequel, including one whose character died the first time around. We are, of course, referring to Stephen Lang's standout villain, Colonel Miles Quaritch.
The sinister RDA Security Operations commander set out to take Pandora by any means, and the character is one who has really resonated with fans. In fact, the role introduced Lang to a whole new audience, and at the global press conference for Avatar, we asked him why he thinks Quaritch has been embraced in this way by moviegoers.
"I think to an extent it has surprised me. But when I think about it, you think of the reasons behind it," the actor says, "maybe it becomes somewhat less surprising. I think that in playing Quaritch, we know his function in the script. We know he's the bad guy. As an actor, that's not particularly helpful for you. What really is helpful for me is to find the qualities that have brought him to this position of leadership that he is at when we meet him, which is to say he is a very capable commander."
"He inspires loyalty. He leads by example. I think that his courage is probably unquestioned. And so what I'm saying is that there's a lot of positive qualities to the man," Lang continues. "He happens to have a little problem, you know [Laughs] fitting in with this planet. Also, as a people, and I'm talking about Americans right now specifically, we're very aggressive and mission-oriented."
Co-star Michelle Rodriguez then chimed in to encourage Lang to tell those in attendance about a recent, bizarre fan interaction.
"You know, a number of times, I've had people come up to me and say, 'You know, I really am behind Quaritch. I'm on his team.' And I always feel like, 'Really? I don't want to know you' [Laughs]," he recalls. "Anyway, I think it's the positive qualities. People respond to leaders, no matter what their moral stance may be. I think that we see a lot of evidence of that in our recent political climate in the United States."
It's really fascinating and insightful to hear Lang's thoughts on this, and a little troubling to find out that there are people out there rooting for Quaritch! We're not sure what the villain will bring to the table in the follow-up, though something tells us he probably hasn't found redemption.
To whet audiences' appetites, Disney/20th Century Studios will re-release Avatar in theaters on September 23. As for Avatar: The Way of Water, that arrives in theaters worldwide on December 16.