James Cameron’s ‘Avatar 2’ Oscar for Best Picture?

Only James Cameron could get away with having two scenes referencing “Free Willy” (1993) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979) in “Avatar 2” and walking away from it.

“Avatar: Waterway,” the long-awaited sequel to James Cameron’s Best Picture nominee from 2009, goes down as the final winner at this year’s major awards, and looks to make a play in all categories and for Best Picture. With stunning visual effects and magic from his craftsmen, Cameron’s immersive cinematic experience is a treat for audiences and industry voters.

Critics, journalists and other members of the industry were treated to the first round of shows this week that kicked off Monday across the country. With 3D visuals rendered at a high frame rate, it is impossible not to immerse yourself in the world, much like its predecessor. But also, like its predecessor, if you remove the theatrical cinema experience from the equation, it could leave voters as cold as the Na’vi in ​​the blue.

The Way of Water follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) as he lives on the planet Pandora with his family – wife Nytiri (Zoe Saldana) and four children Luak (Dalton Britain), Nityam (Jimmy Flatters), Tuck (Trinity Jo Lee Bliss), Kerry (Sigourney Weaver, Yes, the 73-year-old actress and three-time Academy Award nominee). When a familiar threat returns, Jake must work with his family and the army of the Na’vi race to protect and save their planet.

While the new entry is sure to bring in another truckload of cash, Cameron’s first entry in the saga wasn’t as great for the Academy’s recognition, missing categories as important as the original screenplay. He also lost both vocal classes due to “The Hurt Locker”, which was expected to be a no brainer. There’s no questioning Cameron’s respect in the industry, with his undying love of movies and the boundaries he continues to break in his visual storytelling. But it’s important to remember that passion always leads a movie a long way from award season, not just appreciation.

Clocking in at a whopping 191 minutes of running time, “Avatar 2” is sure to appeal to many offshoots, but editing may not be one of them. The film became another two-and-a-half-plus hour epic in a year that also brought us “Babylon,” “Bardo,” “Batman,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Blonde,” “Elvis,” “The Fabelmans,” and “RRR.” and “Tár” — driving home the new mantra that two plus hours has become the new 90 minutes in Hollywood. An interesting note is that in the 2010s, only two major studios released three-hour films. There are three in 2022 alone.

Not all of these features earn their runtimes, as well as “Avatar 2.” There is a difference between doing something because it will look great on the movie screen and doing it because the narrative demands it. Here’s why the movie won’t get an Adapted Screenplay nomination: It appears to set a new record for characters captured and retaken in one sitting, ripping parts of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Production design and visual effects have had a close relationship in the last decade of Academy Award winners, in the same way that film and sound editing have found close kinship. As a result, these four categories look like slam dunk nominations for “Water Way.”

The underwater sequences were dynamically shot by DP Russell Carpenter, who worked with Cameron on five of his nine feature films, including the Oscar-winning “Titanic” (1997). Of course, other big names are vying for the Academy’s interest. It may not come as easily as when Mauro Fiore walked out with the statuette for the first “Avatar” movie, but he has a solid chance of only getting his second career nomination.

“Avatar 2” will face heavy competition from other contenders vying to be the People’s Choice in the ultimate competitive picture race filled with box office sensations and crowd-friendly blockbusters. Among them is Disney’s parent company Marvel Studios’ counterpart, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” But the highlight of the box office hit was Paramount Pictures’ “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski. This movie will give 20^{The tenth} Century Studios is out for its money racing tech.

The Race combines these two films – one that (again) redefines effects-driven films and how those stories can be told moving forward in cinema; The other one that uses brilliance practical effects that, to the naked eye, are much simpler than how you can use CGI and build large set pieces. As a result, “Avatar 2” could go head-to-head for the Oscars battle with “Top Gun: Maverick” in nearly every Craftsman category in which it is likely to be nominated.

The Best Director category features a few beloved auteurs and characters like Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”). Oscar-winner Cameron commands the respect of Hollywood, which he can carry farther than anyone else. It’s far from a lock, but very much into conversation.

It’s hard to call “Avatar: The Way of Water” a sure thing in the best light, despite the praise on social media. Eight sequels have been nominated for Best Picture in 94 years. In addition to “Avatar 2,” “Wakanda Forever,” and “Maverick,” there’s Netflix’s “Glass Onion” to consider.

When revisiting the Oscar season where 2009’s “Avatar” succumbed to the history-making war feature “The Hurt Locker” from first-ever female winner director Kathryn Bigelow, it’s all too easy to assume the next entry will repeat her nine-nomination bid with the Academy. That season was the first year for the Academy Awards to expand its Best Picture lineup from five to 10 nominees. As a result, Cameron’s action epic, which walked away with three statuettes — production design, cinematography, and visual effects — managed to own the place as both the populist film and the highest-grossing film of all time. Other commercial hits among the nominees were “District 9” and the surprise “The Blind Side”.

However, if the movie “Superman” (1978) made people believe that a man can fly, then “Avatar 2” will make you feel certain that blue-skinned people live underwater. So, the Academy will certainly adore the sci-fi epic, and maybe take a premium.

To see the current rankings for each category individually, visit miscellaneous The distribution of the Oscars. The first group of SAG Awards movie predictions As disclosed.