News Analysis India

Tag: Avatar: The Way of Water

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ gets OTT release date

    By Express News Service

    James Cameron’s latest film at the theatres, Avatar: The Way of Water is all set to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on June 7. An American epic science fiction film, ‘Avatar 2’ had a screenplay written by James Cameron along with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster, is set more than a decade after the story of the first film ends.

    It follows Jake and Neyitiri as they build their family and battle their past, which seems to be catching up with them. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet.

    Avatar: The Way of Water hit theatres on December 16, 2022. The film was appreciated for its visual effects and technical achievements and criticised for its plotline and lengthy runtime.

    Having had great success at the box office, the film is the highest-grossing film of 2022, the highest-grossing film since the pandemic, and the third-highest-grossing film of all time. 

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    James Cameron’s latest film at the theatres, Avatar: The Way of Water is all set to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on June 7. An American epic science fiction film, ‘Avatar 2’ had a screenplay written by James Cameron along with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster, is set more than a decade after the story of the first film ends.

    It follows Jake and Neyitiri as they build their family and battle their past, which seems to be catching up with them. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Avatar: The Way of Water hit theatres on December 16, 2022. The film was appreciated for its visual effects and technical achievements and criticised for its plotline and lengthy runtime.

    Having had great success at the box office, the film is the highest-grossing film of 2022, the highest-grossing film since the pandemic, and the third-highest-grossing film of all time. 

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • James Cameron: We had to write four movies before I could start on ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

    By Express News Service

    Director James Cameron, whose last directed Avatar: The Way of Water, recently revealed that his team had to write four movies before he could start the work on the former.

    James Cameron’s writers’ team consists of Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno. With more than 1,500 pages of notes and story beats, Cameron and producer Jon Landau realised that there was more than one story to tell.

    They brought on an elite group of top Hollywood screenwriters to work with Cameron in transforming his story notes into the four films that would continue the adventures of Jake, Neytiri, and the new family they created together.

    “We had to write four movies before I could start on the first sequel. I wanted to map out all the stories and then get the economy of scale of capturing the actors across multiple films and then filming the live action. The thinking was we could consolidate the different stages of production together – performance capture, live action, and then post-production,” Cameron said.

    Meanwhile, it may be noted that Avatar: The Way of Water will stream on Disney+ Hotstar on June 7, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    Director James Cameron, whose last directed Avatar: The Way of Water, recently revealed that his team had to write four movies before he could start the work on the former.

    James Cameron’s writers’ team consists of Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno. With more than 1,500 pages of notes and story beats, Cameron and producer Jon Landau realised that there was more than one story to tell.

    They brought on an elite group of top Hollywood screenwriters to work with Cameron in transforming his story notes into the four films that would continue the adventures of Jake, Neytiri, and the new family they created together.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “We had to write four movies before I could start on the first sequel. I wanted to map out all the stories and then get the economy of scale of capturing the actors across multiple films and then filming the live action. The thinking was we could consolidate the different stages of production together – performance capture, live action, and then post-production,” Cameron said.

    Meanwhile, it may be noted that Avatar: The Way of Water will stream on Disney+ Hotstar on June 7, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • Titanic overtakes ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ to become third highest-grossing film of all time

    By Express News Service

    James Cameron’s Titanic was re-released in theatres on February 10 to commemorate the twenty-five years of the film. Now the film has surpassed Cameron’s recent release  Avatar: The Way of Water, to become the 3rd highest-grossing film of all time.

    According to Deadline, Titanic, which is now back in 3D, grossed $22.3 million at the global box office, while Avatar: The Way of Water added $25.8 million in its ninth-weekend release. These statistics pushed titanic to the third position on the all-time chart after reaching $2.217 billion worldwide.

    However, Avatar: The Way of Water is still close behind, having earned $2.213  since its release in December 2022.  Since its release in 1997, Titanic has created many records and was the highest-grossing film before 2009’s Avatar and later Avengers: Endgame.

    Titanic follows the tragic story of two star-crossed lovers, Jack and Ross, played by  Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively. The film also stars  Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, and others. Titanic went on to bag 11 Oscars at the 70th Academy Awards. 

    James Cameron’s Titanic was re-released in theatres on February 10 to commemorate the twenty-five years of the film. Now the film has surpassed Cameron’s recent release  Avatar: The Way of Water, to become the 3rd highest-grossing film of all time.

    According to Deadline, Titanic, which is now back in 3D, grossed $22.3 million at the global box office, while Avatar: The Way of Water added $25.8 million in its ninth-weekend release. These statistics pushed titanic to the third position on the all-time chart after reaching $2.217 billion worldwide.

    However, Avatar: The Way of Water is still close behind, having earned $2.213  since its release in December 2022.  Since its release in 1997, Titanic has created many records and was the highest-grossing film before 2009’s Avatar and later Avengers: Endgame.

    Titanic follows the tragic story of two star-crossed lovers, Jack and Ross, played by  Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively. The film also stars  Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, and others. Titanic went on to bag 11 Oscars at the 70th Academy Awards. 

  • James Cameron becomes first director to have 3 films grossing $2 billion at global box office

    Express News Service

    James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has officially grossed USD 2 billion at the global box office, becoming only the sixth film to ever achieve that milestone. This led the auteur to a solo club where he is the only filmmaker in history to direct three movies that each grossed USD 2 billion or more globally.

    Titanic, Cameron’s 1997 directorial became the highest-grossing movie of all time during its original release and is still the third biggest with USD 2.1 billion. Later, the first in his Avatar franchise was released in 2009 and crossed the USD 2 billion benchmark, and is the current highest-grossing movie of all time with USD 2.9 billion.

    The other movies to gross USD 2 billion are Avengers: Endgame (USD 2.7 billion), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (USD 2.07 billion), and Avengers: Infinity War (USD 2.05 billion). Anthony and Joe Russo, directors of Infinity War and Endgame, are the only other directors to helm more than one USD 2 billion film. 

    Avatar: Way Of Water was released in December 2022, and the film is still running in theatres. Meanwhile, James Cameron’s 1997 classic Titanic is set to have a re-release and will be back on big screens on February 10. The film’s re-release will serve as a commemoration to mark 25 years of the film. 

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has officially grossed USD 2 billion at the global box office, becoming only the sixth film to ever achieve that milestone. This led the auteur to a solo club where he is the only filmmaker in history to direct three movies that each grossed USD 2 billion or more globally.

    Titanic, Cameron’s 1997 directorial became the highest-grossing movie of all time during its original release and is still the third biggest with USD 2.1 billion. Later, the first in his Avatar franchise was released in 2009 and crossed the USD 2 billion benchmark, and is the current highest-grossing movie of all time with USD 2.9 billion.

    The other movies to gross USD 2 billion are Avengers: Endgame (USD 2.7 billion), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (USD 2.07 billion), and Avengers: Infinity War (USD 2.05 billion). Anthony and Joe Russo, directors of Infinity War and Endgame, are the only other directors to helm more than one USD 2 billion film. 

    Avatar: Way Of Water was released in December 2022, and the film is still running in theatres. Meanwhile, James Cameron’s 1997 classic Titanic is set to have a re-release and will be back on big screens on February 10. The film’s re-release will serve as a commemoration to mark 25 years of the film. 

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • Avatar: The Way of Water hits $1 Billion mark at the global box office

    By Express News Service

    James Cameron’s much-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has officially hit the USD 1 billion mark at the global box office. According to official reports, the international numbers box office alone reached up to USD 762 million of the total gross.

    Avatar: The Way of Water is on track to surpass Top Gun: Maverick’s USD 770 million to become the highest-grossing international release of 2022. The 20th century/Disney release crossed the milestone this Tuesday.

    The worldwide box-office success has been achieved in just 14 days from the day of its release. To compare, Avatar 1 had crossed the USD1 Billion mark in 19 days.

    The first film in the franchise, which was released in 2009, became the highest-grossing film of all time and retained its record for ten years until Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame dethroned it in 2019. 

    According to reports, James Cameron has planned out the franchise until Avatar 5 and has already filmed portions of Avatar 3 and 4.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    James Cameron’s much-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has officially hit the USD 1 billion mark at the global box office. According to official reports, the international numbers box office alone reached up to USD 762 million of the total gross.

    Avatar: The Way of Water is on track to surpass Top Gun: Maverick’s USD 770 million to become the highest-grossing international release of 2022. The 20th century/Disney release crossed the milestone this Tuesday.

    The worldwide box-office success has been achieved in just 14 days from the day of its release. To compare, Avatar 1 had crossed the USD1 Billion mark in 19 days.

    The first film in the franchise, which was released in 2009, became the highest-grossing film of all time and retained its record for ten years until Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame dethroned it in 2019. 

    According to reports, James Cameron has planned out the franchise until Avatar 5 and has already filmed portions of Avatar 3 and 4.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • ‘Avatar’ stays atop North America box office on storm-dampened weekend

    The James Cameron sci-fi sequel has now earned 20th Century $287.7 million domestically, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2022.

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ collects Rs 7000 crores worldwide

    By Express News Service

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the James Cameron directorial, is creating records at the worldwide box office. According to reports, the film has collected Rs 7000 crores in global ticket sales in 10 days. In India, the film has garnered Rs 300 crores (Gross) in 10 days.

    The reports also suggest that Avatar is the second biggest Hollywood film after Avengers: Endgame in India to date. With the continued holiday season, the film is expected to break many more records at the box office.

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster, is set more than a decade after the story of the first film ends. It follows Jake and Neytiri as they build their family and battle their past, which seems to be catching up with them. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the James Cameron directorial, is creating records at the worldwide box office. According to reports, the film has collected Rs 7000 crores in global ticket sales in 10 days. In India, the film has garnered Rs 300 crores (Gross) in 10 days.

    The reports also suggest that Avatar is the second biggest Hollywood film after Avengers: Endgame in India to date. With the continued holiday season, the film is expected to break many more records at the box office.

    Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to the 2009 blockbuster, is set more than a decade after the story of the first film ends. It follows Jake and Neytiri as they build their family and battle their past, which seems to be catching up with them. The film stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

  • ‘Avatar 2’ makes waves with $134 million domestic debut

    By Associated Press

    “Avatar: The Way of Water” didn’t make quite as big of a splash as many assumed it would, but James Cameron’s big-budget spectacle still helped breathe life into the box office this weekend. The sequel earned $134 million from North American theatres and $300.5 million internationally for a $434.5 million global debut, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

    It tied with “The Batman” as the fourth highest domestic debut of the year, behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($187.4 million in May), “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” ($181 million in November) and “Thor: Love and Thunder” ($144.2 million in July).

    Expectations were enormous for “Avatar 2,” which carried a reported price tag of over $350 million, the pressure of following up the highest-grossing film of all time (thanks in part to various re-releases) over a decade later and the daunting task of propping up an exhibition business that’s still far from normal.

    Everything in “Avatar” is oversized, though: the Na’vi characters, the runtime (a staggering three hours and 12 minutes), the technical advancements and the release strategy from 20th Century Studios and The Walt Disney Co.

    Going into the weekend many were expecting a domestic debut of at least $150 million. Some even said $175 or higher, but tracking has also not been as reliable a metric during the pandemic.

    Disney saw early that “The Way of Water” was going to be a different kind of beast when they looked at pre-sales. For a normal, spoiler-heavy movie like many Marvel offerings, post-opening weekend sales are usually around 5%. For “The Way of Water,” they were at 20%. In other words, the company knew that tracking was overinflated.

    “We’ve got a terrific movie that is playing across all demographics and (has) terrific word of mouth,” said Tony Chambers, the Walt Disney Co.’s executive vice president for theatrical distribution. “We’ve got the screens and we’ve got a clear run. This isn’t about the opening day or the opening weekend. This is about the entire run.”

    The film began its international rollout on Wednesday and debuted in North America on Thursday evening. Domestically, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was released in 4,202 theatres on over 12,000 screens, 400 of which were IMAX 3D. The studio and filmmakers bet big on the draw, and higher prices, of the 3D format and premium large screens.

    By the end of Friday, “Avatar: The Way of Water” had already earned $53 million in the U.S. and Canada and $180.1 million globally, aided by a China release — the first major Hollywood release in the country since “Minions: The Rise of Gru” in August. It blows “Avatar’s” $26.7 million first day in 2009 out of the water, though that didn’t include Thursday previews.

    An estimated 66% of the $435 million opening weekend revenue came from worldwide 3D ticket sales.Travis Reid, CEO of 3D company RealD, set a “new benchmark for the current 3D marketplace.”Over $48.8 million of the global total came from IMAX screens alone (1,543 in 80 markets), the company’s second biggest weekend.

    “As excited as we are about these early results, we anticipate a long and successful run for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, in a statement.

    As with many ambitious Cameron projects, from “Titanic” to the first “Avatar,” nerves were high for the costly sequel, one of the most expensive of all time, which began production five years ago. It faced repeated delays and weathered The Walt Disney Co’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. It’s also one of four “Avatar” sequels Cameron had in mind. Filming on the third movie, which was shot simultaneously with “The Way of Water,” is done, with an expected release in December 2024.

    In the 13 years since the first film, “Avatar” has also been the butt of jokes for the perception that the biggest movie of all time, one that has made nearly $3 billion, has left a relatively minor footprint in the culture. But even so, critics have largely been on board with “The Way of Water,” not just for the visuals but also for improving on the story of the first. It holds a 78% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

    The question of whether “Avatar 2” will earn enough is a complicated one with varied answers. Is it enough for exhibitors, who’ve had several significant hits this year, including “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther 2” and “Doctor Strange 2,” but are still hurting? Is it enough to justify starting production on the fourth and fifth movies? Is it enough for the business as a whole, which is looking at a domestic year-end total in the $8 billion range, as opposed to a pre-pandemic normal of $11 billion?

    But like the critics shouting “never doubt James Cameron,” the studio and analysts are singing a similar tune.

    “Avatar: The Way of Water” has the benefit of a holiday corridor that is, relatively speaking, lacking in major blockbuster-style movies. Next week sees the debut of Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” and the family-friendly “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” but there are no comparable blockbusters until “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in February. The hope is that audiences will continue seeking “Avatar 2” out for weeks and months to come, similar to the first movie.

    “Historically James Cameron’s movies are about the long haul, not the opening weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “‘Avatar’ is going to develop its box office over time. It’s about where it will end up months from now.”

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore, with Wednesday through Sunday in parentheses. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” $134 million.2. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” $5.4 million.3. “Violent Night,” $5 million.4. “Strange World,” $2.2 million.5. “The Menu,” $1.7 million.6. “Devotion,” $825,000.7. “The Fabelmans,” $750,000.8. “Black Adam,” $500,000.9. “I Heard the Bells,” $308,893.10. “Empire of Light,” $235,000.

    “Avatar: The Way of Water” didn’t make quite as big of a splash as many assumed it would, but James Cameron’s big-budget spectacle still helped breathe life into the box office this weekend. The sequel earned $134 million from North American theatres and $300.5 million internationally for a $434.5 million global debut, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

    It tied with “The Batman” as the fourth highest domestic debut of the year, behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($187.4 million in May), “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” ($181 million in November) and “Thor: Love and Thunder” ($144.2 million in July).

    Expectations were enormous for “Avatar 2,” which carried a reported price tag of over $350 million, the pressure of following up the highest-grossing film of all time (thanks in part to various re-releases) over a decade later and the daunting task of propping up an exhibition business that’s still far from normal.

    Everything in “Avatar” is oversized, though: the Na’vi characters, the runtime (a staggering three hours and 12 minutes), the technical advancements and the release strategy from 20th Century Studios and The Walt Disney Co.

    Going into the weekend many were expecting a domestic debut of at least $150 million. Some even said $175 or higher, but tracking has also not been as reliable a metric during the pandemic.

    Disney saw early that “The Way of Water” was going to be a different kind of beast when they looked at pre-sales. For a normal, spoiler-heavy movie like many Marvel offerings, post-opening weekend sales are usually around 5%. For “The Way of Water,” they were at 20%. In other words, the company knew that tracking was overinflated.

    “We’ve got a terrific movie that is playing across all demographics and (has) terrific word of mouth,” said Tony Chambers, the Walt Disney Co.’s executive vice president for theatrical distribution. “We’ve got the screens and we’ve got a clear run. This isn’t about the opening day or the opening weekend. This is about the entire run.”

    The film began its international rollout on Wednesday and debuted in North America on Thursday evening. Domestically, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was released in 4,202 theatres on over 12,000 screens, 400 of which were IMAX 3D. The studio and filmmakers bet big on the draw, and higher prices, of the 3D format and premium large screens.

    By the end of Friday, “Avatar: The Way of Water” had already earned $53 million in the U.S. and Canada and $180.1 million globally, aided by a China release — the first major Hollywood release in the country since “Minions: The Rise of Gru” in August. It blows “Avatar’s” $26.7 million first day in 2009 out of the water, though that didn’t include Thursday previews.

    An estimated 66% of the $435 million opening weekend revenue came from worldwide 3D ticket sales.
    Travis Reid, CEO of 3D company RealD, set a “new benchmark for the current 3D marketplace.”
    Over $48.8 million of the global total came from IMAX screens alone (1,543 in 80 markets), the company’s second biggest weekend.

    “As excited as we are about these early results, we anticipate a long and successful run for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, in a statement.

    As with many ambitious Cameron projects, from “Titanic” to the first “Avatar,” nerves were high for the costly sequel, one of the most expensive of all time, which began production five years ago. It faced repeated delays and weathered The Walt Disney Co’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. It’s also one of four “Avatar” sequels Cameron had in mind. Filming on the third movie, which was shot simultaneously with “The Way of Water,” is done, with an expected release in December 2024.

    In the 13 years since the first film, “Avatar” has also been the butt of jokes for the perception that the biggest movie of all time, one that has made nearly $3 billion, has left a relatively minor footprint in the culture. But even so, critics have largely been on board with “The Way of Water,” not just for the visuals but also for improving on the story of the first. It holds a 78% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

    The question of whether “Avatar 2” will earn enough is a complicated one with varied answers. Is it enough for exhibitors, who’ve had several significant hits this year, including “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther 2” and “Doctor Strange 2,” but are still hurting? Is it enough to justify starting production on the fourth and fifth movies? Is it enough for the business as a whole, which is looking at a domestic year-end total in the $8 billion range, as opposed to a pre-pandemic normal of $11 billion?

    But like the critics shouting “never doubt James Cameron,” the studio and analysts are singing a similar tune.

    “Avatar: The Way of Water” has the benefit of a holiday corridor that is, relatively speaking, lacking in major blockbuster-style movies. Next week sees the debut of Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” and the family-friendly “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” but there are no comparable blockbusters until “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in February. The hope is that audiences will continue seeking “Avatar 2” out for weeks and months to come, similar to the first movie.

    “Historically James Cameron’s movies are about the long haul, not the opening weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “‘Avatar’ is going to develop its box office over time. It’s about where it will end up months from now.”

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Comscore, with Wednesday through Sunday in parentheses. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” $134 million.
    2. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” $5.4 million.
    3. “Violent Night,” $5 million.
    4. “Strange World,” $2.2 million.
    5. “The Menu,” $1.7 million.
    6. “Devotion,” $825,000.
    7. “The Fabelmans,” $750,000.
    8. “Black Adam,” $500,000.
    9. “I Heard the Bells,” $308,893.
    10. “Empire of Light,” $235,000.

  • The Na’vi next gen is here: A talk with actors Jamie Flatters and Bailey Bass

    Express News Service

    It seems like it has been forever since the release of the first Avatar film, hasn’t it? Specifically, it has been 13 long years, and yet, paradoxically, the memory of the first film continues to remain so fresh. A new planet called Pandora, a new civilisation called the Na’vi…

    The fictional world captured the imagination of people across the world to such an extent that many were driven to depression by the knowledge that the planet was not real.

    And yet, James Cameron’s love letter to nature was, in fact, about our world, our planet. Environmental concerns have only grown multifold over the last decade, even as the sequel—originally scheduled for release in 2014—is finally set for release, after an incredible delay of eight long years.

    Actors Jamie Flatters and Bailey Bass—who play Na’vi youngsters, Neteyam (son of Jake and Neytiri) and Tsireya respectively—suggest that the experience of the sequel will be well worth the wait and more. With early reviews of the film from across the world suggesting that Cameron might have another winner on his hands, here are Jamie and Bailey breezing through some talking points about Avatar: The Way of Water.

    Jamie Flatters I still remember the first Avatar film as a unique theatre experience. Do you remember when you saw it?

    Jamie Flatters: Oh, I was only nine years old when I saw the film—and I loved it!

    Bailey Bass: They played the first film during the auditions for everyone, and that’s when I saw it. I loved it, of course. Specifically, I was paying attention to Zoe Saldana’s performance as Neytiri, so I could take cues for my own role.

    With the shooting of the sequel taking longer than anticipated, is it fair to say you both grew up on the film sets?

    Bailey: Jaime, you had a lot of birthday parties on the sets!

    Jaime: (laughs) Yes, I did have a lot of birthdays while shooting the sequels. I remember it all as an incredibly formative experience…

    Bailey: You learn so much when you spend as much time with actors who are extraordinarily gifted at their job. And this includes Jaime, who I think is a phenomenal actor.

    James Cameron has the reputation of being a tough taskmaster. What are your quick impressions about James Cameron?

    Jaime: Uh, first and foremost, vegan! (laughs) No, no, he’s an amazing man. I’m fascinated by how he can attack an epic film and retain a such sharp focus on it for such a long time. As you can imagine, he has a limitless passion for filmmaking.

    Bailey: I see him as a really thoughtful director who cares about his actors as people—not just as tools to be used for his project.

    Jaime: And he’s a man who will do your job better than you can—especially when you don’t do it well.

    Avatar: The Way of Water is said to have revolutionised the usage of performance capture technology.

    Jaime: Well, I know it probably won’t be a fashion statement for me to say.

    Bailey: We felt like superheroes, didn’t we?

    Jaime: I liked the GoPro in front of my face (laughs). Many think that motion-capture equipment is restrictive, but I think it has helped us realise that to act, we don’t need anything more than the actors around us.

    Bailey: Yes, and for the first time, it’s being done underwater. This has never been done before and just to be among the first people to have accomplished such a phenomenal feat… It’s a great feeling.

    At the end of the first film, Jake Sully leaves his human body and transforms into a Na’vi man. Would either of you be game for such a transformation if it were possible?

    Bailey: Nooooo! I’m good, thank you! (laughs) I find it to be too scary—unless, I know someone who has done that. I mean, with Jake, he meets Neytiri, falls in love, and is compelled to transform.

    Jaime: I like your thinking! I wouldn’t be among the first 100 to transform, but hey, if about 10,000 people have already done it and seem okay, then I might consider it. Wait, that doesn’t reflect well on me, does it?

    Bailey: Let the others die first? (laughs)

    It seems like it has been forever since the release of the first Avatar film, hasn’t it? Specifically, it has been 13 long years, and yet, paradoxically, the memory of the first film continues to remain so fresh. A new planet called Pandora, a new civilisation called the Na’vi…

    The fictional world captured the imagination of people across the world to such an extent that many were driven to depression by the knowledge that the planet was not real.

    And yet, James Cameron’s love letter to nature was, in fact, about our world, our planet. Environmental concerns have only grown multifold over the last decade, even as the sequel—originally scheduled for release in 2014—is finally set for release, after an incredible delay of eight long years.

    Actors Jamie Flatters and Bailey Bass—who play Na’vi youngsters, Neteyam (son of Jake and Neytiri) and Tsireya respectively—suggest that the experience of the sequel will be well worth the wait and more. With early reviews of the film from across the world suggesting that Cameron might have another winner on his hands, here are Jamie and Bailey breezing through some talking points about Avatar: The Way of Water.

    Jamie Flatters I still remember the first Avatar film as a unique theatre experience. Do you remember when you saw it?

    Jamie Flatters: Oh, I was only nine years old when I saw the film—and I loved it!

    Bailey Bass: They played the first film during the auditions for everyone, and that’s when I saw it. I loved it, of course. Specifically, I was paying attention to Zoe Saldana’s performance as Neytiri, so I could take cues for my own role.

    With the shooting of the sequel taking longer than anticipated, is it fair to say you both grew up on the film sets?

    Bailey: Jaime, you had a lot of birthday parties on the sets!

    Jaime: (laughs) Yes, I did have a lot of birthdays while shooting the sequels. I remember it all as an incredibly formative experience…

    Bailey: You learn so much when you spend as much time with actors who are extraordinarily gifted at their job. And this includes Jaime, who I think is a phenomenal actor.

    James Cameron has the reputation of being a tough taskmaster. What are your quick impressions about James Cameron?

    Jaime: Uh, first and foremost, vegan! (laughs) No, no, he’s an amazing man. I’m fascinated by how he can attack an epic film and retain a such sharp focus on it for such a long time. As you can imagine, he has a limitless passion for filmmaking.

    Bailey: I see him as a really thoughtful director who cares about his actors as people—not just as tools to be used for his project.

    Jaime: And he’s a man who will do your job better than you can—especially when you don’t do it well.

    Avatar: The Way of Water is said to have revolutionised the usage of performance capture technology.

    Jaime: Well, I know it probably won’t be a fashion statement for me to say.

    Bailey: We felt like superheroes, didn’t we?

    Jaime: I liked the GoPro in front of my face (laughs). Many think that motion-capture equipment is restrictive, but I think it has helped us realise that to act, we don’t need anything more than the actors around us.

    Bailey: Yes, and for the first time, it’s being done underwater. This has never been done before and just to be among the first people to have accomplished such a phenomenal feat… It’s a great feeling.

    At the end of the first film, Jake Sully leaves his human body and transforms into a Na’vi man. Would either of you be game for such a transformation if it were possible?

    Bailey: Nooooo! I’m good, thank you! (laughs) I find it to be too scary—unless, I know someone who has done that. I mean, with Jake, he meets Neytiri, falls in love, and is compelled to transform.

    Jaime: I like your thinking! I wouldn’t be among the first 100 to transform, but hey, if about 10,000 people have already done it and seem okay, then I might consider it. Wait, that doesn’t reflect well on me, does it?

    Bailey: Let the others die first? (laughs)

  • Avatar: The Way of Water first impressions: Mesmerising visuals gloss over more than a few frays

    By Express News Service

    Stepping out of the office at 7.30-8 pm on Thursday,  a tweet popped up on my phone announcing that a 12 am show for Avatar: The Way of Water was added across the city on a few screens.

    The city premiere was to start in just four hours, and the seats were predominantly available at that time. Taking a calculated guess, I bought dinner for home and checked my phone. The city premiere was to start in just three hours. The seats were gradually filling up, and my favourite seats were getting picked one after the other, and I randomly booked my seat for a 12.05 am show. 

    Four hours since the announcement, three hours after I booked the tickets, and two hours after I finished my dinner, I reached the theatre that was jam-packed with people who were talking about anything and everything about James Cameron’s magnum opus that hit the screens this Friday. 

    Avatar 2 wastes no time in introducing the movers and shakers of Pandora, and we are thrown right into the narrative that begins with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) being fully inducted into the Na’vi race, and raising a family with his fiery wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). They have four kids, and a feral human who hangs out with them. It is in these portions that we revisit Pandora and the world of the Na’vis is beautifully explored in this 180-plus minute runtime of the film. However, restlessness was prevalent in not just the Na’vis but the audience members too who were fidgety considering the first hour or so feels more like an extension of the Avatar 1 final act. It almost felt like a prologue that overstayed its welcome, especially when there was a collective sigh of relief when Sully and his family go to an island… the island that we have all seen in the magnificent promos, which promised a deep dive into the marine world of Pandora. 

    One of Sully’s kids, Kiri, an adopted girl, is awestruck by the marine life around her when she first takes a dive into the ocean floor. There is complete silence as she just waddles in the depths as the fishes in different shapes and sizes dance around her. It was almost like Kiri was taking her time to take in the beauty of the world around her. For people dwelling in the greenery of the forests, the effervescence of turquoise must surely be overwhelming. And for the longest time in Avatar: The Way of Water, where we are introduced to bigger creatures, fascinatingly beautiful surroundings, and picture-perfect environments, we too feel like Kiri. We are just in awe of the world James Cameron and Co have created for us. The strength of Avatar: The Way of Water lies in doling out these spectacular visuals at regular intervals. Imagine a whale-sized creature and a young adult holding hands in the water and swimming towards the setting sun. Even writing about this gives me goosebumps because the image is forever etched in my head. Many such images are there for the taking in the film, where the focus has been more on how the film looks rather than how it feels. We also have social commentary on the refugee crisis, forced relocation of people in the name of commercialisation, whale killing, and a beautiful overarching theme about water’s nature being connected to our life and death. Despite touching upon so many different topics, the rather template nature of the film never really evokes any emotion other than complete awe at how things are unfolding visually. 

    Of course, the climactic showdown is one for the ages. Again, it is a trope that we have seen in films from across the globe, including ones closer home like a Karnan. Pardon my comparisons, but there is a bit of Radhe Shyam and Titanic too. Again, none of these is to belittle the kind of grand vision that James Cameron had for the Avatar films. Just that, it is clear where the focus was. There are very few filmmakers who can make audiences across the world collectively gasp at the same things, and the experience of watching Avatar: The Way of Water is so immersive that we don’t mind the cliches and conveniences. 

    Coming back to the climactic showdown that is one for the ages… it definitely is one for the ages. It is visual mastery at its finest, and emotion-driven stunt sequences at its best. Each kick, each arrow, each bullet, each wallop, and each surprise attack from the Na’vi against the Sky people were met with a thunderous response from an audience, who were craving for this big action set piece for a bit too long, and every moment was worth it. 

    Post the Marvelisation of the cinema-watching experience, the habit of waiting for the post-credits or mid-credits sequence was inculcated in the audience. But it is rare to make an entire theatre, who made sudden plans to be here after a long day, and forgot the concept of rest and sleep, actually stay back knowing there were no mid-credits or post-credits scenes waiting for them. They were just strapped onto their seats to see the visuals of the aquamarine-coloured world that drew them in for the past 180-odd minutes. They were just mesmerised by the sheer massiveness of some of the beings, the inventiveness of some of their strengths, and the beauty of their uniqueness, and basically… all of them just became Kiri from Avatar: The Way of Water. We might have liked the film, not liked the film, or even flippant about its impact, but there is no doubt that the maverick James ‘Pied Piper’ Cameron still holds the strength to sway his audience according to his tunes, and the world will continue to be enchanted for whatever is waiting to come out of his fascinating mind, and… Pandora.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)

    Stepping out of the office at 7.30-8 pm on Thursday,  a tweet popped up on my phone announcing that a 12 am show for Avatar: The Way of Water was added across the city on a few screens.

    The city premiere was to start in just four hours, and the seats were predominantly available at that time. Taking a calculated guess, I bought dinner for home and checked my phone. The city premiere was to start in just three hours. The seats were gradually filling up, and my favourite seats were getting picked one after the other, and I randomly booked my seat for a 12.05 am show. 

    Four hours since the announcement, three hours after I booked the tickets, and two hours after I finished my dinner, I reached the theatre that was jam-packed with people who were talking about anything and everything about James Cameron’s magnum opus that hit the screens this Friday. 

    Avatar 2 wastes no time in introducing the movers and shakers of Pandora, and we are thrown right into the narrative that begins with Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) being fully inducted into the Na’vi race, and raising a family with his fiery wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). They have four kids, and a feral human who hangs out with them. It is in these portions that we revisit Pandora and the world of the Na’vis is beautifully explored in this 180-plus minute runtime of the film. However, restlessness was prevalent in not just the Na’vis but the audience members too who were fidgety considering the first hour or so feels more like an extension of the Avatar 1 final act. It almost felt like a prologue that overstayed its welcome, especially when there was a collective sigh of relief when Sully and his family go to an island… the island that we have all seen in the magnificent promos, which promised a deep dive into the marine world of Pandora. 

    One of Sully’s kids, Kiri, an adopted girl, is awestruck by the marine life around her when she first takes a dive into the ocean floor. There is complete silence as she just waddles in the depths as the fishes in different shapes and sizes dance around her. It was almost like Kiri was taking her time to take in the beauty of the world around her. For people dwelling in the greenery of the forests, the effervescence of turquoise must surely be overwhelming. And for the longest time in Avatar: The Way of Water, where we are introduced to bigger creatures, fascinatingly beautiful surroundings, and picture-perfect environments, we too feel like Kiri. We are just in awe of the world James Cameron and Co have created for us. The strength of Avatar: The Way of Water lies in doling out these spectacular visuals at regular intervals. Imagine a whale-sized creature and a young adult holding hands in the water and swimming towards the setting sun. Even writing about this gives me goosebumps because the image is forever etched in my head. Many such images are there for the taking in the film, where the focus has been more on how the film looks rather than how it feels. We also have social commentary on the refugee crisis, forced relocation of people in the name of commercialisation, whale killing, and a beautiful overarching theme about water’s nature being connected to our life and death. Despite touching upon so many different topics, the rather template nature of the film never really evokes any emotion other than complete awe at how things are unfolding visually. 

    Of course, the climactic showdown is one for the ages. Again, it is a trope that we have seen in films from across the globe, including ones closer home like a Karnan. Pardon my comparisons, but there is a bit of Radhe Shyam and Titanic too. Again, none of these is to belittle the kind of grand vision that James Cameron had for the Avatar films. Just that, it is clear where the focus was. There are very few filmmakers who can make audiences across the world collectively gasp at the same things, and the experience of watching Avatar: The Way of Water is so immersive that we don’t mind the cliches and conveniences. 

    Coming back to the climactic showdown that is one for the ages… it definitely is one for the ages. It is visual mastery at its finest, and emotion-driven stunt sequences at its best. Each kick, each arrow, each bullet, each wallop, and each surprise attack from the Na’vi against the Sky people were met with a thunderous response from an audience, who were craving for this big action set piece for a bit too long, and every moment was worth it. 

    Post the Marvelisation of the cinema-watching experience, the habit of waiting for the post-credits or mid-credits sequence was inculcated in the audience. But it is rare to make an entire theatre, who made sudden plans to be here after a long day, and forgot the concept of rest and sleep, actually stay back knowing there were no mid-credits or post-credits scenes waiting for them. They were just strapped onto their seats to see the visuals of the aquamarine-coloured world that drew them in for the past 180-odd minutes. They were just mesmerised by the sheer massiveness of some of the beings, the inventiveness of some of their strengths, and the beauty of their uniqueness, and basically… all of them just became Kiri from Avatar: The Way of Water. We might have liked the film, not liked the film, or even flippant about its impact, but there is no doubt that the maverick James ‘Pied Piper’ Cameron still holds the strength to sway his audience according to his tunes, and the world will continue to be enchanted for whatever is waiting to come out of his fascinating mind, and… Pandora.

    (This story originally appeared on Cinema Express)