Jon Landau Confirms Return of Two Key Characters For Avatar 3

January 19, 2023

Warning: This article includes spoilers for Avatar: The Way of Water.

Although Avatar: The Way of Water continues to set records at the box office, the attention is shifting toward Avatar 3. With a large number of the main characters, such as Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), returning for the third film, there are questions surrounding the future of The Way of Water’s secondary figures. Jon Landau confirmed via Empire the return of two key characters for Avatar 3: the Tulkun known as Payakan and his nemesis, Captain Mick Scoresby (Brendan Cowell).

Payakan is the Tulkun who forms a special bond with Jake and Neytiri’s son, Lo’ak (Britain Dalton). This Tulkun was cast aside by the Metkayina when the typically peaceful creature attacked the whalers who killed his mother, resulting in the deaths of many Na’vi and other Tulkuns. Payakan is also missing a fin, further adding insult to injury. However, Payakan regained the respect of the Metkayina when he bombarded the whalers’ vessel, the SeaDragon, that was holding Lo’ak hostage, saving the young boy in the process.

“We view Payakan as a character, not just as a creature,” said Landu. “We will continue to explore his relationship with Lo’ak.”

Payakan will not be home free in Avatar 3, with Scoresby surprisingly returning to the fold. Scoresby is the captain of Seadragon. His mission from the RDA is to hunt Tulkuns to harvest a valuable liquid known as amritas from their brains, which prevents humans from aging.

After Payakan attacks the vessel, Scoresby chases after the Tulkun on a patrol boat. When he attempts to fire a harpoon Payakan, the Tulkun wraps the harpoon’s cord around the ship, trapping Scoresby’s arm. Payakan powerfully pulls the cord, severing Scoresby’s arm and launching his body into the ocean, which looked pretty lethal. Landau does not reveal how Scoresby survived, but the RDA has the technology to heal and resurrect their own as they did with Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) returning as a recombinant.

Avatar: The Way of Water is now in theaters. Avatar 3 is scheduled to arrive on December 20, 2024.

Are you excited to see the return of Payakan and Captain Mick Scoresby in Avatar 3? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

Recommended Reading: James Cameron’s Avatar: Tsu’tey’s Path

We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.