Remember Avatar? All the way back in 2009, an epic science fiction film burst onto our screens, promising to change the way we thought about movies forever.
Directed, written, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron, we all heard how development for the movie had begun in 1994, but was put on hold until technology had advanced enough to match his vision for the film.
But now, it’s been 14 years since the colourful film debuted, and we’ve been waiting for more news of Pandora, and the Na’vi people, ever since.
The wait officially ended with the release of Avatar 2 this year – with more instalments to come.
But while we wait to stream the film for our next fix of the sci-fi epic, we’re looking back to the cultural moment that was the very first film.
Available now on Disney Plus, we can’t think of a better time to settle in and re-watch Cameron’s strangest film to date.
What is Avatar about?
Set in 2154, at a time that Earth’s resources have been depleted, humans have taken to mining minerals on Pandora, a moon in the Alpha Centauri star system. However, this planet is already home to the Na’vi, a race of blue-skinned humanoids who live harmoniously with nature.
Humans are able to infiltrate the planet via Avatars, genetically engineered Na’vi-human hybrids who can access Pandora via operation from the brain of a remotely located human.
A paraplegic marine, Jake Sully, is one of these operators, and when he connects with Na’vi woman Neytiri, the head of the Avatar Program promises she will restore his legs in exchange for insider information on the Na’vi.
This is made all the more complex when he falls in love with Neytiri, and soon enough, a war between the Na’vi and the humans has begun.
WATCH BELOW: Avatar: The Way of Water | New Trailer
What is Avatar 2 about?
Spoiler alert – at the end of the first film, Jake was permanently transferred into his Na’vi form, meaning he could be with Neytiri.
Now, the second film focuses on their lives together.
“Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family, the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure,” reads the description given by 20th Century Fox.
Who returns for Avatar 2?
Aussie actor Sam Worthington returns in the role of Jake Sully, and Zoe Saldana reprises her character Neytiri.
Sigourney Weaver starred as Dr. Grace Augustine in the first film, a character who was killed off. She returns in a different role this time around, playing Kiri, Jake and Neytiri’s adoptive teenage daughter.
Kate Winslet also joins the cast as Ronal. Like most of the rest of the cast, she had to learn to free-dive for the film’s motion-capture vision.
When will Avatar 2 be released?
Avatar 2 released in cinemas on December 15, 2022, but is now available to watch online on Disney Plus.
Before you watch it, the best way to prepare is by going back and re-familiarising yourself with the Avatar story, also on Disney Plus!
Stream Avatar now on Disney Plus, live and on demand with a month-to-month or annual subscription. SIGN UP NOW.
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