“Throughout her career, Michelle has always created unique and memorable characters. I look forward to working with Michelle to do the same thing on the Avatar sequels,” Avatar director James Cameron said in a statement.

Yeoh has enjoyed a long career and starred in Ang Lee's groundbreaking martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000, and was recently seen on the big screen in the hit romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, which earned $238 million after opening in August. She is also set to lead her own Star Trek Discovery spinoff at CBS All Access, reprising her role as Capt. Philippa Georgiou. Yeoh previously starred in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Danny Boyle's Sunshine (2007).

Cameron's Avatar, released in 2009, stands as the highest grossing film of all time, with $2.7 billion globally. The first of four sequels is dated for Dec. 18, 2020, and stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana. The mega franchise now falls under the Disney umbrella following the company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox last month.

Yeoh is represented by manager David Unger