Michelle Yeoh to star in ‘Avatar’ sequels

Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh is showing no signs of slowing down.

After starring in last year’s hit romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians and the ongoing Star Trek: Discovery TV series, she is adding yet another pop culture feather in her cap – by starring in the upcoming sequels to Avatar, the all-time highest-grossing movie.

According to a report by the US entertainment magazine Variety, the 56-year-old Ipoh-born actress will be portraying scientist Dr Karina Mogue in Canadian director James Cameron’s upcoming sequels to the 2009 Hollywood smash hit.

“Throughout her career, Michelle has always created unique and memorable characters,” Cameron says in the report.

“I look forward to working with Michelle to do the same thing on the Avatar sequels.”

With a worldwide gross of over US$2.7 billion (S$3.65 billion), Avatar is the reigning all-time global box-office champion and Cameron has lined up four sequels to the movie – Avatar 2 on Dec 18, 2020; Avatar 3 on Dec 17, 2021; Avatar 4 on Dec 20, 2024; and Avatar 5 on Dec 19, 2025.

Best known for her roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Police Story 3: Super Cop, and as a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies, the Malaysian star was most recently seen in Yuen Woo-ping’s Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy, and has been signed to star in her own spin-off series from Star Trek: Discovery.

Other upcoming projects include Paul Feig’s Last Christmas (also starring Game Of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and fellow Malaysian co-star of Crazy Rich Asians Henry Golding) and Joe Carnahan’s Boss Level.