“Avatar 2” is real, and it’s here – damned naysayers.
After at least seven delays in the past eight years (the film was originally supposed to open in 2014), director James Cameron is finally ready to show audiences his other underwater world vision for the long-awaited “Avatar” sequel. Its title is “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
Disney, which inherited Pandora and its residents after acquiring 20th Century Fox in 2019, has unveiled new footage of the much-anticipated movie at CinemaCon, the annual gathering of movie theater owners currently playing at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
CinemaCon attendees were given 3D glasses to watch the minutes-long trailer, which contains almost no dialogue. Instead, theater owners wowed the sweeping shots of Cameron’s world on Pandora. The shots weren’t lacking in the stunning and emotional sequences drenched in the crystal blue color of the planet’s oceans and lakes. Na’Vi individuals interact with dozens of species that resemble whales and swans – some of which fly straight from the screen into the viewers’ faces thanks to 3D.
“I know one thing,” Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully told Neytiri of Zoe Saldana. “Wherever we go, this family is our fortress.”
Cameron, who is still in New Zealand putting the finishing touches on “Avatar 2,” appeared in a pre-recorded video to tell exhibitors about the film. It is “designed for the largest and most immersive screen in 3D,” he says, adding that he “set out to test the limits of what cinema can do.”
Producer John Landau, who traveled to the city from New Zealand, noted that “Family” would be at the heart of the subsequent four sequels. Each follow-up film will be shown as a standalone film and will come to its own ending.
Along with Cameron Worthington and Saldana, the $250 million Avatar 2 brings back Giovanni Ribisi, Sigourney Weaver, CCC Pounder and Stephen Lang. These actors will be joined by new faces of the franchise, including Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Eddie Falco, Cliff Curtis and Jimmyn Clement. In the sequel, an ancient threat forces Worthington’s character Jake Sully and Saldana’s Neytiri to leave their home and explore different areas of Pandora.
There are understandable concerns that enthusiasm for all things “Avatar” has waned in the decade since its landmark debut in theaters. But Na’vi Nation still looks loyal. During the pandemic, Cameron’s groundbreaking sci-fi saga is back on the big screen and reclaiming the title of the highest-grossing movie in history with $2.802 billion worldwide, reclaiming the crown from Avengers: Endgame.
“Avatar” premiered in December 2009, at a time when ticket sales were much less expensive than they are these days. However, the film has had an unparalleled life in cinemas and has been on the big screen for nearly 10 months, a phenomenon driven by repeat hits and outstanding performances. The unparalleled success of “Avatar” has inspired theater operators to accelerate the deployment of digital cinema until their venues are equipped with the technology for 3D play. To continue, Cameron once again turned to new technology, this time to capture underwater scenes. This means Disney must convince the heaps of moviegoers in the audience at CinemaCon that “Avatar 2” will push the boundaries of cinema, so much so that it’ll be worth the expensive equipment upgrades needed to match Cameron’s dazzling vision.
“Avatar 2” debuted on December 16, with sequels on December 20, 2024, December 18, 2026 and December 22, 2028.
While other studios have hired directors and stars to talk about their upcoming movies, Disney has dedicated much of its 90-minute CinemaCon presentation to showcasing exclusive footage from Marvel, Pixar, and 20th Century’s. Theater owners were also able to watch 15 minutes of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and 30 minutes of “Lightyear,” a story about Andy’s beloved game.
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