4/28/2022 UPDATE: Footage from the film was previewed and we officially have a title: Avatar: The Way of Water.
- The minutes that screened contained mostly scenes of different areas on Pandora. According to Variety, it showed the planets lakes and oceans (of course) and the Na’vi interacting with new animal species.
- The film takes place over a decade after the first film.
- We will get more footage soon: the full trailer will drop before Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness , which hits theaters on May 6. Talk about Disney synergy.
- Each sequel will serve as a standalone film that has its own ending.
- Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi, Sigourney Weaver, CCH Pounder and Stephen Lang somehow all return. Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh (who is on a roll), and Edie Falco (among others) join the ensemble.
- Disney will re-release Avatar with updated technology on September 23. Because James Cameron loves that highest-grossing title. And perhaps a challenge for his own sequel?
Original Article:
Lucky CinemaCon attendees may be the first—other than Zoe Saldana, of course—to lay eyes on the fabled, oft-delayed sequel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, audiences at CinemaCon could be getting a first look at the much-anticipated Avatar 2!
The first sequel to the 2009 juggernaut is scheduled to be released on December 16 after years of delays. Disney, which now owns the property to the Avatar films after a 2019 merger with 20th Century Fox, has yet to comment on the speculation. In fact, Disney has been surprisingly mum with regards to the sequels. But I expect a big media push in the coming months.
What is CinemaCon? CinemaCon is a gathering for theater owners and movie studios held each year that is a combination of a trade show and a showcase for studios’ upcoming projects.
The Weight on Avatar’s Shoulders. The original Avatar’s impact on the film industry cannot be understated: it is still the highest-grossing film of all time, and it ushered in a new era in motion performance capture. Film exhibitors are counting on Avatar 2 to inject a much-needed lifeline into the theatrical industry after a rough two years. Only time will tell whether audiences show up the way they did for the first film. What we do know is that James Cameron seems intent on thrilling audiences again with innovative filmmaking techniques.
Theater Tech. According to sources, Dolby “has outfitted the Colosseum — CinemaCon’s main venue at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas — with Dolby Atmos immersive sound and Dolby Vision meaning they are installing the company’s premium 4K, high dynamic range, high frame rate and 3D capable laser-based projection system. Dolby has also prepped thousands of 3D glasses for CinemaCon.” The Colosseum is equipped with laser projectors made by Christie and Barco, which indicate that James Cameron could be preparing to preview the film as he intended it to be viewed.
Cameron is also looking to offer the film in more formats than possibly any film before—including 4K, 3D, and a 48 fps frame rate. And theater owners are working overtime to ensure their technology can keep up. Note that theater offerings could differ based on your local theater which is sure to cause welcome competition among theater owners.
The multiple, advanced types of viewing options could also prove effective at luring viewers out of their homes, and away from their streaming options. Besides, people are showing signs of fatigue with the bloated streaming service options.
With movie theater attendance on the rise, Avatar 2 appears to be arriving at just the right time, after all. And if Zoe Saldana’a reaction is to be any indication of the sequel’s quality, we are in for a treat.
Are you excited about Avatar 2? Stay tuned for updates about the film.
