(L to R): Jake Sully and Neteyam in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Return to Pandora in the latest James Cameron box office hit, ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water.’
13 years after the first film’s release, Academy Award-winning director James Cameron takes the audience back to the world of Pandora and introduces a new tribe of Na’vi. The film sees the return of Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Stephen Lang.
Despite the long wait for its sequel, ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ was already smashing records on opening weekend. Soaring past Marvel’s ‘The Avengers‘ in domestic box office rankings, raking in $625.6 million. Needless to say, the 13 years gap between the first and second movies did not dampen the fans’ excitement for this film.
“Return to Pandora.”
77
3 hr 12 minDec 16th, 2022
Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, learn the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the… Read the Plot
Just like the 2009 film, this installment also utilizes 3D. With updated technology, ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ is visually stunning, and looks even more vibrant and lifelike than its predecessor. Filming begin in 2017 and took over the course of 3 years, mainly due to the director wanting to film ‘Avatar 2’ and ‘3′ at the same time. The majority of ‘The Way Of Water’ took place underwater, requiring the cast and stunt team to film inside a 900,000-gallon tank.
Filming underwater made it difficult for the motion capture process because scuba gear often got in the way. So the actors received special training on how to hold their breath for an extended amount of time. Kate Winslet held her breath for an astonishing 7 minutes.
Cameron has plans for three more ‘Avatar‘ films. The third installment is set to release in 2024 with ‘Avatar 4‘ and ‘5‘ scheduled for a 2026 and 2028 release.
(L to R): Neytiri and Jake Sully in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
What Is ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ About?
The official synopsis for ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ is thus:
“Jake Sully lives with his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their home.”
It’s been over a decade since the events of the previous film, Jake and Neytiri have started a family – the eldest son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), the second son Lo’ak (Britain Dalton), and the youngest daughter Tuk (Trinity Jo-Li Bliss). On top of the three children, they also have an adoptive daughter in Kiri (Sigourney Weaver). The family lived in peace until the Sky People returned to Pandora causing destruction and chaos. The family is uprooted, and forced to seek safety and shelter within the oceans of Pandora and the Metkayina tribe.
The sci-fi fantasy/adventure also sees Cliff Curtis as Metkayina Chief Tonowari and Kate Winslet (who reunites with the ‘Titanic‘ director after 26 years) as Ronal. The newly introduced tribe of Na’vi looks different than Neytiri and Jake, as they have larger and stronger tails built for swimming. We’re also introduced to many new creatures such as the tulkun, skimwing, and ilu.
Stephen Lang who played antagonist Colonel Miles Quaritch in the first film is back for the sequel as a different character (sort of).
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
Is “Avatar: The Way Of Water” Still In Theaters?
You can still enjoy the movie on the big screening at your local theaters. The movie is available in various formats but it is an absolute treat to watch it in 3D if it’s available to you. Another great way to enjoy ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ is in IMAX, which will make you feel like you’re fully immersed in the world of Pandora.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ was released on December 16th, 2022, and has a total runtime of 3 hours and 12 minutes.
Buy Tickets: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Movie Showtimes
Watch the trailer below:
When Will ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Be Available To Stream Online?
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ is currently only in theaters, but it will surely make its way to streaming services in the future. As this is a 20th Century Studio film it will definitely be available on Disney+ once it is released for streaming. Currently, you can watch the original film on Disney+.
Where to Watch: ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’
(L to R): Jake Sully, Ronal, and Tonowari in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Another Record-Breaking Hit For James Cameron
The visionary director has had many of his films break box office records. The first ‘Avatar’ film opened to $77 million domestically on opening weekend in 2009. Now, it has grossed $749.7 million domestically and $2.7 billion worldwide. ‘The Way of Water’ opened to $134.1 million domestically and has grossed $625.6 since. It is currently the fourth-highest-grossing film worldwide of all time, has surpassed Marvel Studio’s ‘The Avengers’ ($1.5 billion worldwide), and is closing in on ‘Titanic’, another James Cameron film.
On top of the film’s success at the box office, the franchise giant is also popular amongst theme park goers. You can find The World Of Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. There are two attractions based inside the Avatar-inspired land – “Flight of Passage” and “Na’vi River Journey.” In “Flight of the Passage,” guests can fly on the back of a mountain banshee over Pandora, complete with 3D, of course. “The Na’vi River Journey” takes riders on an immersive river ride, exploring the caves, bioluminescent rainforest, and an extremely life-like audio-animatronic.
Director James Cameron for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water.’
Other Films By James Cameron
The three-time Academy Award-winning director may very well be adding another golden statue to his mantle. ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ has received four Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Production Design, and Best Visual Effects.
Other Movies Directed by Jame Cameron:
Buy ‘Avatar’ On Amazon
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ was released in theaters on December 16th, 2022 from Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Studios. Directed by James Cameron, and written by Cameron, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, the film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet.
Watch Moviefone’s interviews with James Cameron and the cast of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ below:
