Who Is Jake Sully from ‘Avatar’? Everything to Know about the Character and Actor Who Portrays the Role

"Avatar 2" release date was already announced in its first teaser trailer, with the actor who portrayed Jake Sully in the first film returning as the main character.

James Cameron is one of the most respected film directors of his generation, and the impressive work he did with the first "Avatar" in 2009 proves it. The film's sequel, "Avatar: The Way of Water," is already around the corner.

On May 9, 2022, its first official teaser trailer hit the internet, and it got over 10 million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours. Let's take a look at it and the actor who plays Jake Sully, this story's hero.

WHAT DOES THE "AVATAR 2" TRAILER SHOW?

The one-and-a-half-minute-long teaser trailer (found at the bottom of this page) starts with a group of Na'vi, including Jake in his Na'vi body, riding flying fish bird beasts a few meters above the stunning-looking water toward a large forest.

It cuts to a scene showing humans and Na'vi working together in what appears to be a military base. A group of armed Na'vi then go deep into the forest and face other aliens armed only with bows and arrows.

The trailer's final 30 seconds show a montage with action-packed scenes, a sort of Na'vi ritual with a pregnant female, and Jake embracing his children, including his adopted human son, Spider. The teaser ends with the film's release date: December 2022.

WHO IS JAKE SULLY?

In the first "Avatar" film, we learned that Jake Sully was a former marine who could no longer use his legs due to a battle and was confined to a wheelchair.

Matt Damon turned James Cameron down.

Jake's twin brother, Tom, was part of the mission to go to Pandora, the lush jungle moon where the Na'vi live. Humanity's goal was to mine Unobtainium from Pandora, the mineral that makes the mountains float. After Tom's murder, Jake replaced him.

Jake learned about the Na'vi culture in his missions and even fell in love with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). When he had to choose, he defended the aliens in a battle against the human invasion and became a Na'vi permanently.

WHO PLAYS JAKE SULLY?

James Cameron needed a lot of time to decide who the hero of his epic story would be. His first option was Matt Damon. Cameron personally called and offered Damon the role and said:

"If you don't take this, I'm going to find an unknown actor and give it to him, because the movie doesn't really need you. But if you take the part, I'll give you 10% of [the profits]."

Matt Damon turned James Cameron down because it would have caused a problem for his "Bourne Ultimatum" friends, so the part went to then-unknown Sam Worthington.

Although Worthington went through a year-long casting process, he was glad he could work with Cameron in some respect, even if he didn't book the role. "Avatar" changed Worthington's life, and he has always seen it as more than just an acting gig.

Sam Worthington considered "Avatar" to be about finding one's place. In Jake Sully's case, he needed a five-year voyage to Pandora to find true fulfillment, a new purpose, the love of his life, and a place to call home.