From Avatar to Guardians of the Galaxy, Colombiana, and more, Zoe Saldana has starred in a lot of action movies in the last two decades. Now, Saldana wants to transition to directing by helming an action movie of her own.
“I’ve never seen a woman direct James Bond,” said Saldana at the Toronto International Film Festival via Variety. “I like The Equalizer. I watch crime shows, and, so, maybe in the future. I’ve always been drawn to heist themes. Heat is a film that I need to watch at least once a year and analyze it, and the way that Michael Mann just pairs it all together, the way that everybody performed it. So, I would love to start with an action-heist sort of thing.”
It may take some time before Saldana’s ambitions become a reality. While the actress has already filmed her part for Avatar: Fire & Ash, she still has to finish the fourth and fifth films in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise. While Saldana didn’t offer any hints about what lies ahead in the next movie, she did explain why she feels the Avatar movies are special to her.
“It’s all the technology that Jim uses [in Avatar that] gives way for the performer to take pride and priority over his or her entire performance,” said Saldana. “We’re not lending our voices. We’re not doing any of that. In 2009, Jim, as usual, was ahead of his time. He’s a scientist at heart, so he’s creating things that people need time to understand. He helped me realize that I should be okay with that. And at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if people will get it. Avatar will live forever, and it will inspire people for generations to come. So that’s his legacy, and I’m a part of that.”
Avatar: Fire & Ash will be released on December 19, 2025.
