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TOPIC
Reasons Why You Should Be Excited For 'Avatar: The Way of Water'
By Sal LoCicero | May 18, 2022
Over a decade ago, moviegoers were treated to the most immersive cinematic experience of their lives. A movie that broke records, changed the game for Hollywood, inspired many other filmmakers, and debuted a new era for 3D. ‘Avatar’ released on December 18, 2009, and after, it became the #1 box office movie of all time with a total box office gross of $2.743 billion dollars worldwide.
After its original success, it was later confirmed that James Cameron was to make a sequel that would arrive in 2014. Almost every year, ‘Avatar 2’ has been delayed farther and farther from its original release date to the point where people stopped caring. However, James Cameron has never given up on this project, and he decided that Avatar would have four sequels that were scheduled to release in 2020, 2022, 2024 & 2026.
Disney bought the rights to 20th Century Fox, which messed up Cameron’s plans. The movie was delayed, yet again, to 2021. This time, it seemed that both the studio and James Cameron were confident about Avatar 2 happening in 2021. Once Covid struck, that meant a change in everything. Over a dozen projects were delayed, and the industry suffered financially. So, the sequel was pushed back one last time.
Recently, Cinemacon 2022 presented a bunch of surprises to many of its guests. New movies, exclusive BTS footage, special announcements, and so much more. One of the biggest reveals at the convention was an exclusive 3D teaser trailer to ‘Avatar 2’ that stunned quite a bit of audiences. It was also revealed that the title for the sequel is ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’. During the release of Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness’, audiences got the chance to see the first ever teaser trailer for Avatar 2 (before it launched online a couple days later).
Many all over social media continue to trash on both Avatar and James Cameron, by claiming that no one cares about the movies anymore. However, recent stills, as well as a trailer, from the movie were posted online. Some were flabbergasted with what they saw, while others still held onto their grudges.
Here are reasons why you should be excited for ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ coming out this year!
OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING
The biggest complaint that almost everyone has about Avatar 2, is the fact that it has taken more than a decade to release. When the first movie released in 2009, it was unlike anything that the public had ever witnessed. No filmmaker, at the time, had ever accomplished something that was as visually historic as ‘Avatar’. With 2009’s ‘Watchmen’, the filmmakers had to reorganize the entire third act because the special effects team were unable to develop a humongous CGI octopus (from the graphic novel) that destroyed millions of citizens in an alternate version of 1985’s Manhattan. ‘Watchmen’ is another movie that took a decade to release - due to major pre-production issues.
James Cameron developed the script to the first Avatar movie fifteen years before its release. He wrote Avatar’s original script in the early 1990s, which had outlined the world of Pandora as well as the creatures from that world. We all know that James Cameron is no freshman when it comes to revolutionizing the standards of special effects, so he started thinking of ideas to create the story. However, much like ‘Watchmen’, the technology needed to create the world of Pandora was impossible. No amount of technology could meet Cameron’s vision, and for that reason the project would have to be put on hold.
After a decade of hanging on the shelf, ‘Avatar’ was finally able to see the light of day, although it did take sometime in order for the final project to exceed the director’s expectations.
The fact that the first Avatar movie took over a decade to develop should give you an idea as to why it’s taking so long for James Cameron to release ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’. The sequel is expected to go even further beyond with its visuals - as well as its 3D picture - while expanding on the story with deep thematic themes about family.
JAMES CAMERON'S PASSION
There is one very important thing about James Cameron that nobody realizes. There have been a good amount of movies that a filmmaker or studio decided to work on, only for the project to get hit with constant delays due to a certain issue with production. When an issue keeps itself present during the making of a film, it's most likely that either the studio cancels the project, the filmmaker leaves, or the studio rushes the production so they can release the long awaited film that was promised a long time ago.
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ was hit with constant delays from James Cameron. The feature has taken so long to make that people eventually forget about it. James Cameron hasn’t made a movie since 2009’s ‘Avatar’, and due to that fact, it’s certainly understandable why many stopped caring for a potential sequel to come. At this point in time, the cast and crew would give up on the production (as would the studio) and the sequel would’ve been canceled, but James Cameron has never given up on his passion project no matter how long it has taken him to finish it. For someone as passionate as him to be taking over a decade on this project, then it must definitely be worth the wait!
THE MOVIEGOING EXPERIENCE
Before the Dawn of streaming, many people would go out and see the latest movie on the big screen. Once Netflix started a trend, streaming became the next big hit for studios. Ever since the pandemic, streaming services were at an all time high in viewership. Movie theaters were closed all around the world, which began to stir up conversations about whether or not the end of cinema was near.
Thankfully, the stock markets for AMC went up right before any decision to file for bankruptcy came. But, even with movie theaters back and open for business, very few have shown interest in supporting them. The argumentative question “Why should we go to the movies if we can enjoy them in the comfort of our home?” erupted. By the time 2021 came, there were 50/50 of people that either stood at home or went out to see a movie. By the time ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ hit theaters, multiplexes got their customers back.
‘Avatar’ (2009) reinvented the moviegoing experience, and for that reason, there have been plenty of movies that have gone out of their way to advance themselves for audiences. With ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ coming this year, it would be buffoonish not to head over to your local movie theater and see over a decade of hard work and dedication all projected onto the big screen in eye popping 3D.
CINEMA ESCAPISM IS NEEDED NOW - MORE THAN EVER BEFORE
In the late 2010s, the only big blockbusters released were either Marvel movies or Star Wars. Superheroes and Jedis were the only thing bringing people to the movies.
After 2019, Covid spread like a wildfire. Everyday more people became miserable. Stores were closed, roads were empty, and the only source for any information was on the news. Depression was at a record breaking high and isolation was the cause of it. 2021 wasn’t so different either, being in contact with people outdoors was slowly getting back to normal, but some of the leftover madness from the previous year hit the new year.
Now, with the current devastating war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as other tragic events, everything still feels chaotic. At this point, all anyone will want to do is escape from reality. The fictional world of Pandora brought so much excitement and joy to the world, and at this moment in time, a fictional world like Pandora would be the best place to revisit.
JAMES CAMERON AND MOVIE SEQUELS
Anyone remember Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror film ‘Alien’? Yes, the movie where the Xenomorph pops out of that dude’s stomach. Well, since you know ‘Alien’, are you familiar with the action sequel from 1986, titled ‘Aliens’? That movie remains as one of the best movie sequels of all time - surpassing its predecessor. ‘Aliens’ was also written and directed by James Cameron. It blew audiences minds even more than the first movie did, with a consistent amount of special effects and action sequences.
Five years after making ‘Aliens’, there was one movie that came out in the summer of 1991 that has forever changed the system. That movie is ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’; one of the best - and most famous - movie sequels ever made. The film had surpassed expectations and floored moviegoers.
After making two of the most successful movie sequels of all time, ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ may also become another hit sequel, that could please both fans and haters of the first.
MODERN AUDIENCES
Moviegoers these days are only familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that is because superhero movies are the only form of entertainment being produced. Gen Z’s attention span doesn’t last very long unless something catches their attention, otherwise you’re out of luck.
Some people complain that studios have no original story ideas, all they rely on is the MCU - which is somewhat true. There will eventually come an original movie that hits theaters, only for it to be heavily overshadowed by the latest summer blockbuster. It's very cruel how Hollywood treats those who worked hard on a feature so small.
We’re not going to tell you that ‘Avatar’ is an original movie, but due to the amount of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and other big studio franchises that are all shoved down our throats, it would be a nice change of pace to present us with something else that we haven’t been introduced to for a while.
The newest generation who have never heard of the first movie could be fascinated by the visuals and will want to go see it. For young kids, ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ could be another movie that blows their minds.
DECADES OF PROVING NAYSAYERS WRONG
In 1997, ‘Titanic’ was released. The record breaking box office, Academy Award winning feature had put James Cameron at the height of his career. Before Titanic’s success, when word came out that Cameron was going to direct a movie about the Titanic, everyone doubted him. People predicted that the movie was going to be a tremendous failure, and would affect the famous movie director’s career.
Why make a movie about the Titanic? What’s going to happen in the movie that we don’t already know? What could have possibly motivated James Cameron to direct this movie? All of these questions were what people were asking themselves.
When ‘Titanic’ hit movie theaters, it didn’t start out as a big success at the box office, however with more time and word of mouth, eventually it drew a lot of people to the movies. That is when it became #1 at the box office for months. Then, award season arrived, and ‘Titanic’ won all 11 awards it got nominated for.
Now, in 2022, the exact same thing is occurring. There’s been more skepticism the more we hear about ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’. The question as to why Cameron is making this instead of other projects has been asked so many times that it’s hard to count. But, when people actually go to the movies on December 16th, they’ll finally be able to see how wrong they truly were about doubting it.
TEASED TO BE BOTH A NARRATIVE AND VISUAL MASTERPIECE
One of the main critiques that the majority have with ‘Avatar’ is that the story was weak. All the film had going for it was the visuals, and that’s it. However the sequel is supposed to be different from the first. While the visuals are expected to be extraordinary, the story is also going to serve a major part to the movie.
This is why four more sequels are coming. There is so much more to this fictional world than what we were introduced to before. More characters and places to see and admire. In a few years from now, this (soon to be) franchise could be regarded as an influential work in cinema history. We’ll just have to wait and see
Don’t think so negatively about this movie, art takes time. If you were never a fan of this movie to begin with, that is fine. 2022 is turning out to be a really good year for movies, so there should be a lot of surprises!
What are your thoughts?
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