Does Colonel Miles Quaritch return in Avatar: The Way of Water?

The much-anticipated Avatar: The Way of Water is finally out and fans are going gaga over the new movie, while wondering if the dreaded Colonel Miles Quaritch is back.

Directed by James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water takes place a decade after the events of Avatar (2009) and sees Jake Sully and his family going to lengths to protect their family and people.

A new character called Kiri has been introduced, who is none other than Sigourney Weaver, i.e., Dr. Grace Augustine, the xenobotanist who was in charge of the Avatar project.

With her return, fans were speculating on the return of other major characters in the new film, especially the villainous Colonel Miles Quaritch.

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Colonel Miles Quaritch is back in Avatar: The Way of Water

When Avatar: The Way of Water's trailer was released, fans noticed a Na'vi character that bore a striking resemblance to Quaritch.

In October 2013, it was announced that Stephen Lang would return despite dying in the first movie. This was later confirmed by director James Cameron, who also said that he would also be present in the upcoming movies. He stated:

"There's not a new villain every time, which is interesting. Same guy. Same m*therf**ker through all four movies."

Fans are indeed ecstatic to see Colonel Miles Quaritch make a comeback in the 2022 film. Lang previously hinted that his evil character might have slightly changed his ways after coming to a gruesome end in the first Avatar installment.

Speaking about his new character, the actor stated:

"There may possibly be an aspect of humility. When you take two Na'vi arrows in the chest, that's gonna have some kind of effect on you."

He continued:

"But now he is as lithe as they come. He can move with the same kind of cunning and feral quality that any of the Na'vi can."

This particular statement made fans wonder if his new character possessed superhuman capabilities or not. Set in a futuristic world, Avatar: The Way of Water will feature several RDA soldiers whose memories have been uploaded to avatars, known as Recoms (Recombinants).

This includes the sinister Colonel Miles Quaritch, who is now bigger, meaner, and brimming with fury. The actor confirmed he would be returning as the same character, whose mind has been uploaded into a Na'vi body.

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Stephen Lang made his entertainment industry debut with an Arthur Miller adaptation

Apart from playing Colonel Miles Quaritch in the Avatar Universe, American actor Stephen Lang is an industry veteran who has been active since 1977. He is the son of the late philanthropist Eugene Lang, and his sister, Jane Lang, is a well-known lawyer.

Lang played Harold Loman in the 1984 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and reprised the role for the 1985 television film adaptation with Dustin Hoffman as Willy Loman.

He is known for roles in films like Manhunter, Gettysburg, Tombstone, Gods and Generals, Public Enemies, Conan the Barbarian, The Girl on the Train, Don't Breathe, and several more. Lang has also appeared in several TV shows, including Into the Badlands, The Rookie, and The Good Fight, among others.

He has had a celebrated career on Broadway and received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the 1992 production of The Speed of Darkness.

He won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Colonel Miles Quaritch in the franchise's debut film, Avatar. From 2004 to 2006, he was co-artistic director of the Actors Studio.

He has been married to Kristina Watson since 1980 and has four children, including New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang.

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Avatar: The Way of Water was released in cinemas on December 16. The movie is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.