Spoilers Avatar The Movie Series (2009-)

[Huntn]

The original was released 2009. As a combination of story, technical, and cinematography, I consider it the best adventure scifi movie I've ever seen. Keep in mind I'm into fantasy and science fiction. And I don't expect most overall movie buffs will agree with me. It's best seen at the theater, tremendous eye candy. For home the Special Edition is the best, including the extra good scenes, but not the 15 min extra that comes with the Extended Cut Edition.

My belief is that this is the first movie to create a convincing photo realistic CGI world, with integrated live action inserted. From a strictly technical department, I believe Jurassic Park is the first instance of convincing CGI dinos. This is the first photo realistic artificial world. If I did not know those floating mountains could not float, they look real.

The best is how the director manipulates the audience into wondering how natives equipped with bows and arrows could ever have a chance against such advanced technology.

Ready for more Avatar? Ready to be sick of Avatar? Well there is a wait involved- 3 years and then a bounty of 3 more movies, one a year. The height of wonderfulness will depend on how well James Cameron does at producing compelling new stories. My understanding is that they regretted killing off Michelle Rodriguez's character. But with some creative editing, they could bring her back, but I'm not implying that is what will happen. Pandora seems like a great location for MMORPG.

Of note, I don't believe the first image below, the sequence it shows, "the hunt" was included in the original theatrical release. It adds continuity to the story for when Sully says after gaining his banshee, "I was a stone cold hunter" just before being attacked by the Toruk. The hunt shows why he could say that. It is a sequence shown both in the "enhanced" and "extended cut" versions. The second image might be concept art, hard to tell.

Plot Summary: The three "Avatar" sequels will be filmed simultaneously with production beginning in 2014. The release of the first sequel will be in December 2016, with the second to follow in December 2017, and the third a year later. "Avatar" 2, 3, and 4 will be produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau through their Lightstorm Entertainment banner. Like the original film, Lightstorm will work with Joe Letteri and his team at WETA Digital to realize the worlds of the sequels.

source

 

[heehee]

Can't wait. This is the first 3D movie that's not made like a card board cutout with an object or two coming at you. The 3D was so well made it as if I was in the movie surrounded by the scenery.

My wife did not agree with me and said its a long 3 hour movie with tall ugly blue aliens.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Breaking news: World sick of Avatar and waiting for sequels. Wasn't 2 supposed to be out next year?

If they can surpass the first movie story-wise with these sequels, they'll make a worthy series. But only if the plot improves with each.

 

[efpierce]

What happened to the movie in 2014? I didn't know that's when they would start filming it, I thought I would be watching it by next Christmas in the theater.

 

[chrono1081]

The 2014 one was scrapped because James Cameron said in an interview that he really wanted to get the story right so it took a bit longer.

I personally can't wait. Avatar is the entire reason I'm huge into CG now (and want to do it for a living). I remember being dragged by friends to the theater to see it (I didn't want to see it) and I was skeptical until the first scene when you see Neytiri in the trees.

As soon as I saw that I said I wanted to learn how to do that and went back to the office after the movie and loaded up Maya and started learning 3D.

Fast forward to now I am currently lamenting the loss of my Mari trial license and hoping it goes on sale soon so I can buy it because texture painting isn't the same without it. (Mari is the 3D texture painting program used in Avatar and its amaaaazing…)

 

[Huntn]

Can't wait. This is the first 3D movie that's not made like a card board cutout with an object or two coming at you. The 3D was so well made it as if I was in the movie surrounded by the scenery.

My wife did not agree with me and said its a long 3 hour movie with tall ugly blue aliens.

Lol. My wife accused it of being a Dances with Wolves rip off. She did not care for it either.

 

[lunaoso]

I recognize and appreciate it as a technological achievement of visuals, but the actual movie didn't do it for me. I didn't find the story very appealing. I think the visuals kind of overhype the movie to be honest, not that that's a bad thing.

 

[Huntn]

The 2014 one was scrapped because James Cameron said in an interview that he really wanted to get the story right so it took a bit longer.

I personally can't wait. Avatar is the entire reason I'm huge into CG now (and want to do it for a living). I remember being dragged by friends to the theater to see it (I didn't want to see it) and I was skeptical until the first scene when you see Neytiri in the trees.

As soon as I saw that I said I wanted to learn how to do that and went back to the office after the movie and loaded up Maya and started learning 3D.

Fast forward to now I am currently lamenting the loss of my Mari trial license and hoping it goes on sale soon so I can buy it because texture painting isn't the same without it. (Mari is the 3D texture painting program used in Avatar and its amaaaazing…)

I did not know that!

For the original, I was halfway sold with the space, arrival on Pandora sequence, and completely sold with the first outdoor jungle scenes and the integration of live action into CGI. Until Avatar I hated movies shot in warehouses, heavy in CGI. One of the reasons was that most of them were very stylized pushing their artificiality in my face, such as Sin City, 300, The Crow, although I could tolerate The Crow, the city flyby graphics which could have been a model, were horrid. Avatar is revolutionary in that it is the first to offer the illusion of reality in a computer generated world. I'm not a fan of 3D either, but Avatar was splendid in 3D.

 

[chrono1081]

Lol. My wife accused it of being a Dances with Wolves rip off. She did not care for it either.

You can tell her that James Cameron set out to tell "a familiar story in an unfamiliar world" and he actually based the story off of a book written in the 1860's. I forget which one of my "Making of Avatar" books has it (probably the biggest one) but that tidbit is in one of them.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Lol. My wife accused it of being a Dances with Wolves rip off. She did not care for it either.

It reminded me more of Disney's Pocahontas! I'd watch the sequel's when they are on TV, but wouldn't rush to see them at the cinema based on the first effort. Good CGI, is only any good if backed up with a good story IMO.

 

[sviato]

Missed out on seeing it... maybe they'll replay it in the theaters when the second one comes out.

 

[Huntn]

You can tell her that James Cameron set out to tell "a familiar story in an unfamiliar world" and he actually based the story off of a book written in the 1860's. I forget which one of my "Making of Avatar" books has it (probably the biggest one) but that tidbit is in one of them.

It reminded me more of Disney's Pocahontas! I'd watch the sequel's when they are on TV, but wouldn't rush to see them at the cinema based on the first effort. Good CGI, is only any good if backed up with a good story IMO.

Themes are repeated in books and movies such as might/technology makes right, something that happens in human history repeatedly, were one group takes advantage of another, and when a hero goes native, ie develops empathy for the underdogs. What makes a movie fresh is the setting and specific details. So while the theme is not new, the story when taken as a whole is original and very creative, especially building an exotic world from scratch. One thing about a CGI movie with a virtual camera, it's turns the director's creativity lose without physical limitations. The sequence on the first helo ride going over the falls was exellerating!

Missed out on seeing it... maybe they'll replay it in the theaters when the second one comes out.

This is the type of movie to see at the theater. I saw it on a regular screen, then saw it again on IMAX 3D. Now that was incredible.

 

[S.B.G]

I saw it on a regular screen, then saw it again on IMAX 3D. Now that was incredible.

I saw it twice at the IMAX and it was the best 3D I had seen. I really liked the movie and agree with everything you said in your first post.

I'm happy to hear that there will be more movies in the series too!

 

[Huntn]

Avatar 2

I found this on IMDB: Avatar 2 (2016) with the following stars listed:

Zoe Saldana (Neytiri)
Sam Worthington (Jake Sully)
Sigourney Weaver (Grace Augustine)
Stephen Lang (Miles Quaritch)

What's interesting is that 2 of these characters died in the original. I wonder if this is new content, flashbacks of the same story with new content, resurrection of characters in a continuation, or this movie takes place previous to the original story? I thought I read something about it being in a new setting in Pandora. Since the Colonel (Stephen Lang) got two poison arrows in his chest, it's possible we'll be seeing some kind of a flashback, or combination story to allow for the presence of Jake Sully and the Colonel.

 

[S.B.G]

Cool. I'm looking forward to seeing the next one...in two years!

With all this Avatar talk recently, I'm going to watch it right now.

 

[Huntn]

Cool. I'm looking forward to seeing the next one...in two years!

With all this Avatar talk recently, I'm going to watch it right now.

Lol. The listing at IMDB look like they are shotgunning Avatar 3 (2017), and Avatar 4 (2018).

 

[Huntn]

Apr 2017-Updated release dates for 4 more avatar movies

Avatar 2 Dec 2020
Avatar 3 Dec 2021
Avatar 4 Dec 2024
Avatar 5 Dec 2025

 

[Huntn]

James Cameron Announces the Main Cast has Wrapped Production on ‘Avatar’ Sequels
https://fanfest.com/2018/11/19/jame...ast-has-wrapped-production-on-avatar-sequels/

Avatar 2- Dec 2020. Two years away.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

It reminded me more of Disney's Pocahontas! I'd watch the sequel's when they are on TV, but wouldn't rush to see them at the cinema based on the first effort. Good CGI, is only any good if backed up with a good story IMO.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Couldn't agree more.

If I come out from a play, especially one that has been advertised, marketed, and hyped heavily, and can only find myself muttering (and this has happened), "well, the set was stunning and the costumes were great", it usually tells you that the play itself was somewhat lacking, not least in terms of acting, interpretation of roles or character development, narrative, script, timing, and actual story.

While costumes do matter in a play (especially to help you inhabit and interpret a character), script, story and acting matter a lot more.

CGI should support and enhance the story, making it visually more compelling, but, in itself, should not be the story.

I have rarely been so disappointed with a movie in my life as I was with the first STNG movie; yes, there was a spectacular sequence where the Enterprise was destroyed - so spectacular, they used it twice in the movie.

But, story? Script, Narrative arc? Character development? It was all completely lacking; instead, a good many of the two part episodes of STNG (shot on a far smaller budget) were far superior in every way, because they focussed on the story to be told, and the characters telling that story and on whom the story had an effect, but let everything else serve as support to that.

 

[Huntn]

If I come out from a play, especially one that has been advertised, marketed, and hyped heavily, and can only find myself saying (and this has happened), "well, the set was stunning and the costumes were great", it usually tells you that the play itself, was somewhat lacking, in terms of acting, interpretation of roles, script, timing, and actual story.

While costumes do matter in a play (especially to help you inhabit and interpret a character), script, story and acting matter a lot more.

CGI should support and enhance the story, making it visually more compelling, but should not be the story.

I have rarely been so disappointed with a movie in my life as I was with the first STNG movie; yes, there was a spectacular sequence where the Enterprise was destroyed - so spectacular, they used it twice in the movie.

But, story? Script, Narrative arc? It was all completely lacking; a good many of the two part episodes of STNG (shot on a far smaller budget) were far superior inn every way, because they focussed on the story to be told, and let everything else serve as support to that.

I have dislike every ST movie except the first two Abrams ST movies. The stories were good enough and although the second one was a remake, I found it enjoyable.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

My prediction: many people like me will see the first film in theaters because it will be filled with great action and special effects. The next few will do worse and worse as we remember how bad the first movie was story wise and realize that the effects in the next few will be no better than the first sequel. Avatar has its fans but no where near the amount JC thinks it has. It’s not a cult film at all. It would be like making a sequel to say, bob and silent jay. Nobody really cares.

Wait...

 

[Huntn]

My prediction: many people like me will see the first film in theaters because it will be filled with great action and special effects. The next few will do worse and worse as we remember how bad the first movie was story wise and realize that the effects in the next few will be no better than the first sequel. Avatar has its fans but no where near the amount JC thinks it has. It’s not a cult film at all. It would be like making a sequel to say, bob and silent jay. Nobody really cares.

Wait...

Well, I disagree with you obviously. Yes, the theme is not original, but the story was very good from my perspective, and it’s hard for me to understand dislike of this story on another planet. However, my wife says it was a remake of Dances with Wolves, and I tell her the Indians lost in DWW. ... and a photorealistic world made from scratch with high levels of creativity, plus atmosphere and thrilling cinematography, all filmed in a warehouse. Incredible! Cameron is a movie making genius when it comes to action, adventure. Do I really have to list his long list of hits??

No Avatar was not a cult film, it was a super, mega hit, highest grossing film as far as I know.

 

[Mac'nCheese]

Well, I disagree with you obviously. Yes, the theme is not original, but the story was very good from my perspective, and it’s hard for me to understand dislike of this story on another planet. However, my wife says it was a remake of Dances with Wolves, and I tell her the Indians lost in DWW. ... and a photorealistic world made from scratch with high levels of creativity, plus atmosphere and thrilling cinematography, all filmed in a warehouse. Incredible! Cameron is a movie making genius when it comes to action, adventure. Do I really have to list his long list of hits??

No Avatar was not a cult film, it was a super, mega hit, highest grossing film as far as I know.

I think I might have use the wrong word when I used cult. I do remember how big a hit it was. And I loved seeing it in the theater. I still remember being blown away by the sequence of the main villain running through his ship as it was exploding, jumping into one of those mech fighter thingiees and then jumping from the exploding ship, all in one shot if I remember correctly. It just doesn’t have the staying power of other sci fi films. Watching it on tv is just meh, it’s meant for the theaters. Nobody really loves it years later. At least not enough people to warrant three more films. JC is an incredible action director but he can’t write dialogue and the story was nothing special. There aren’t Avatar conventions and Avatar world isnt a hit like Harry Potter work is or Star Wars world will probably be when it opens. The avatar ride is kind of like the movie. It’s an incredible fantastic ride but who cares about the brand?

 

[Huntn]

I think I might have use the wrong word when I used cult. I do remember how big a hit it was. And I loved seeing it in the theater. I still remember being blown away by the sequence of the main villain running through his ship as it was exploding, jumping into one of those mech fighter thingiees and then jumping from the exploding ship, all in one shot if I remember correctly. It just doesn’t have the staying power of other sci fi films. Watching it on tv is just meh, it’s meant for the theaters. Nobody really loves it years later. At least not enough people to warrant three more films. JC is an incredible action director but he can’t write dialogue and the story was nothing special. There aren’t Avatar conventions and Avatar world isnt a hit like Harry Potter work is or Star Wars world will probably be when it opens. The avatar ride is kind of like the movie. It’s an incredible fantastic ride but who cares about the brand?

I still love it! Harry Potter and Star Wars have a different vibe and many fantasy type chatacters. This is about 9’ tall alien cats, hard to duplicate and differentiate. We’ll just have to see if the next one makes any money for a verdict.