Avatar 2: Kate Winslet swims on set in first-look photo at James Cameron sequel

Winslet has learnt to freedive for the film series

A new photo from the set of the Avatar sequels has been released.

With production on the four forthcoming sequels to the popular 2009 film recently grinding to a halt due to the coronavirus outbreak, the team have given fans a look behind the scenes until shooting resumes.

In the new picture, taken in New Zealand, stars from the first film Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are joined by Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis as they film in a water tank for Avatar 2.

“From the set of the sequels: @ZoeSaldana, Sam Worthington, Kate Winslet, and Cliff Curtis taking a break from underwater performance capture for a quick photo,” the caption reads.

“Fun fact: Much of the performance capture took place in this 900,000 gallon tank, built specifically for the sequels.”

Much of the new Avatar adventures will take place underwater in the mythical world of Pandora, with director James Cameron attributing the series’ delay – the first sequel was originally scheduled for release in 2014, but now won’t be released until December 2021 – to working out how to effectively use underwater motion-capture technology.

In February, producer Matt Landau revealed that Winslet, who had previously worked with Cameron on 1997’s Titanic, had to hold her breath underwater for seven minutes while shooting.

Earlier in the week, it was revealed that the sequels are costing 20th Century Fox, which was bought by Disney in 2018, more than $1bn (£808m), making it the first film series to require this much money up front.

The original Avatar film is the second highest-grossing film of all time, having raked in £2.25bn ($2.78bn) in the global box office.