Movies News

Michelle Rodriguez cast in Cameron's Avatar

By Mary McSweeney Aug 4, 2007, 2:52 GMT

Michelle Rodriguez - Hollywood, CA © Glenn Harris / Photorazzi

Always appearing in the tabloids, actress Michelle Rodriguez has signed on to the highly anticipated new James Cameron project, Avatar with Stephen Lang, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Wes Studi, and CCH Pounder.

The film is currently in production in Playa del Rey, and will move to New Zealand in October to work with Peter Jackson's Weta Digital team including Visual FX wizard Alex Funke, supervising the film's miniature effects.

Avatar will debut May 22, 2009, according to Variety.

Stephen Lang also signed this week and will play a seasoned Marine Corps colonel who travels to the planet Pandora to take charge of its troops, reports Variety.

Variety reports Lang is well-known for his stage career and first met James Cameron in the '80s when he tried to get a role in "Aliens" but didn't get the part. Variety reports that Cameron never forgot Lang and twenty years later found a part for him in "Avatar."

Michelle Rodriguez will play an ex-Marine pilot. James Cameron spoke to Variety about the casting of Michelle Rodriguez and said, "Michelle Rodriguez is someone I've wanted to work with since I saw "Girlfight" seven years ago."

"Avatar" is a mix of live action and animation that's budgeted near $200 million. Variety reports that Lightstorm Entertainment, James Cameron's company, has been researching a revolutionary virtual photorealistic production technique.