‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, ‘Doctor Strange 2’, and ‘Lightyear’, Soon to Hit Theaters!

Walt Disney Studio provided exciting details

during the recent CinemaCon in Las Vegas for its 2022 theatrical release slate from Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, and 20th Century Studios, including a first look at the “Avatar” sequel!

The title of the “Avatar” sequel, which will open in theaters December, is “Avatar: The Way of Water.” 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.

Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the film stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement, Giovanni Ribisi, and Kate Winslet. To whet audiences’ appetites, the studio will re-release “Avatar” in theaters in September.

The teaser trailer drew highly enthusiastic responses from the CinemaCon audience. In addition, Zoe Saldana, who stars in both “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Amsterdam,” receives the CinemaCon “Star of the Year” award at the “Big Screen Achievement Award” Ceremony last Thursday evening, April 28.

From Marvel Studios:

Marvel Studios took the CinemaCon audience on a thrill ride through the Multiverse with footage from “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which opens in Philippine theaters next week, May 4. With the film, the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before.

Fans will journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, with Michael Stühlbarg, and Rachel McAdams. The film is directed by Sam Raimi, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Eric Hauserman Carroll, Scott Derrickson and Jamie Christopher serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Michael Waldron.

CinemaCon attendees were treated to footage from Disney and Pixar’s upcoming feature film “Lightyear,” which opens in Philippine theaters on June 15. A sci-fi action-adventure and the definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda.

The film features the voices of Chris Evans as accomplished Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear, Uzo Aduba as his commander and best friend Alisha Hawthorne, and Peter Sohn as Sox. Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, and Dale Soules lend their voices to the Junior Zap Patrol’s Izzy Hawthorne, Mo Morrison, and Darby Steel, respectively, and James Brolin can be heard as the enigmatic Zurg. The voice cast also includes Mary McDonald-Lewis as onboard computer I.V.A.N., Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Commander Burnside, Efren Ramirez as Airman Diaz, and Keira Hairston as Young Izzy. The film is directed by Angus MacLane (co-director “Finding Dory”), produced by Galyn Susman (“Toy Story That Time Forgot”), and features a score by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino (“The Batman,” “Up”).

(ROHN ROMULO)