Zoe Saldana Spills Everything She Knows About ‘Guardians’ And ‘Avatar’ Sequels

Zoe Saldana is quickly becoming a science fiction authority, having starred in most of the major sci-fi franchises, including Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avatar, so it makes sense to sit up and take notice when Saldana opens up about her future films. Zoe recently spoke about two of her current film projects, sequels to both Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy, giving fans the actress’ unique perspective on what’s coming in each of the planned films. Possibly the only sci-fi franchise Zoe can’t speak to is Star Wars, but that’s not to say there isn’t a lightsaber in her future.

Zoe Saldana Spills Her Guts On Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 And Avatar 2

E! News reports that Ms. Saldana will be reprising Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, bringing the actress back together with Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Bradley Cooper (Rocket), Vin Diesel (Baby Groot), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), and Michael Rooker (Yondu Udonta). New to the franchise will be Pom Klementieff, who is set to play a character named Mantis. He will be joined by Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, Kurt Russell as Ego, and Chris Sullivan, who is set to play Taserface.

At this point, character names may not mean much without an idea for a plot, so Zoe kindly revealed what she knows about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, or, at least, as much as she was permitted to share without jeopardizing her career.

“We’ll have a lot more comedy, a lot more action, a lot more heart. I feel that sequels are meant for that. If you can’t aim for a sequel to be better than your first movie then you really shouldn’t be doing a sequel,” says Ms. Saldana. “James Gunn has just a lot more to say about the Guardians of the Galaxy, and he really went to town with this storyline.”

Zoe also shared that the plot of the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel is pivotal in setting the stage for the cast’s appearance in Avengers: Infinity War. The actress says Vol. 2 focuses on her character’s relationship with Nebula and explores how each character came to their present circumstance. In so doing, Zoe explains the story arc will necessarily also deal with Thanos, who is a father to Gamora and her adopted sister, Nebula, but is also the primary villain of Avengers: Infinity War.

Ms. Saldana also shared that the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 closely imitates the film itself, primarily because, like in the films, everyone seems to follow Chris Pratt’s lead.

“Whoever doesn’t love Chris Pratt is crazy! He’s one of my favorite actors that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with,” Zoe raved. “I think that what makes him a very special actor is his humanity. He’s such a great guy, he’s so open and he’s really naturally funny.”

Zoe Saldana Shares What She Knows About The Avatar 2 Filming Schedule

And what about Avatar? According to Daily Mail, Ms. Saldana assures fans that, while there is a wait for the next of the five films, the wait will be worth it. She shared that Avatar 2 will hit theaters in time for Christmas 2018. Zoe admits that even she is finding it frustrating to be patient, but she knows James Cameron wants to deliver the best sequel he can.

“He’s going to give us a journey back into Pandora that we’re never going to be able to forget. So trust and let’s just continue to be patient,” Saldana said.

Zoe did share the good news that she just received concerning the shooting schedule for Avatar 2. Filming is a go and will begin in August, shared Saldana, who will return to the franchise as Neytiri. Saldana says that alone has her excited for more Avatar fun.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will hit theaters on May 5 this year.

Avengers: Infinity War will be released May 18, 2018.

[Featured Image by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images]