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After more than a decade of technological advancement and anticipation to see a new story from a legendary director, Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) was finally released in 2022. Legendary filmmaker James Cameron spent about the last twenty years of his life crafting the world of Pandora, telling the epic saga of the invasive human race and the defensive Na'vi people, and looking at the sequel's critical and commercial success, that long period of time was well-spent. Critics have praised the long-awaited follow-up as an immaculate sequel complete with some of the best visuals ever to be seen in a movie theater, as well as a more emotional story and greatly improved performances in comparison to the original film. Collider's own Senior Film Editor and self-proclaimed "Avatar nonbeliever" Ross Bonaime had the pleasure of seeing the new follow-up, and greatly praised the film as "one of the most extraordinary experiences one can have at the theaters."
But while we celebrate what Cameron and the rest of the cast and crew have been working on all this time, it has been so long since the last film that some may want a refresher on where we left off in the story back in 2009. Many were fortunate enough to see Avatar (2009) be re-released back in theaters this past September, which added just a bit more money to the pile of the highest-grossing film ever made. During that time, 20th Century's new parent company Disney, in a possible experiment to gauge public interest in the franchise all these years later, removed Avatar from its streaming home on Disney+ to maximize a reason for people to go out to the theater and see the film in the setting it was meant to be seen in.
Naturally, not every single person was able to see it during the one-week limited engagement, leading Avatar fans everywhere to wonder if the first film is back on streaming so they can revisit it one more time before the second installment. If one such fan were to read below, they would quickly find their answer.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on May 23, 2023.
Watch the Avatar Trailer
The movie may be over a decade old, but the visuals of 2009's Avatar still speak for themselves and hold up remarkably well. Even in a small-scale trailer like the one above, the landscape of Pandora and the denizens that inhabit it are a jaw-dropping spectacle. The epic story of Jake Sully and Neytiri and their fight against the human invaders continues to stun audiences with its wondrous technical achievements, and that's evident regardless of where you're watching it, be it in a movie theater, on a TV, or even on your phone.
Is Avatar Available to Watch on Streaming?
Since Avatar's parent company 20th Century Studios was purchased by the Walt Disney Company, Avatar had made its streaming home on the House of Mouse's streamer, Disney+. However, starting in late August of this year, the hit film mysteriously disappeared from the service entirely. In what was admittedly a bit of a cheeky move by the company to get more people in the seats for the theatrical re-release, Disney had taken the film off their service until the re-release was out of theaters. Thankfully, Avatar has since returned to Disney+ and is now available to stream on the platform once again.
Currently, the service costs $7.99 USD per month or $79.99 per year, following a recent price increase, and now features ads. Another premium tier is available without ads at $10.99 USD per month or $120.99 USD per year. Alternatively, if you'd like to have Hulu and ESPN+ in addition to Disney+, the Disney Bundle is a potential option, costing $13.99 USD per month for the Hulu ad-supported tier and $19.99 USD per month for the ad-free tier. Now, if you're really not interested in getting a Disney+ subscription, the film is available on DIRECTV as well, and there are other ways to watch the film other than streaming.
Is Avatar Available on Digital?
Yes, it is! Avatar is currently available for rent and purchase on practically all online video stores including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play Movies, and more. It'll cost you $3.99 to rent the movie and $14.99 to buy it. Here's the link where you can rent or buy Avatar on Amazon:
And What About the Avatar 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Release?
In case you haven't heard the news, Avatar is (finally) getting a 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray release this summer. The 4K UHD Blu-ray is coming out on June 20, 2023, the same day as the 4K Blu-ray for the sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. The new release also reportedly includes bonus features titled "Memories from Avatar" and "Avatar: A Look Back", both presumably serving as retrospectives on the original production. Of course, this isn't the first time Avatar has been released on home media as the film got its first DVD and Blu-ray all the way back in 2010. This was followed by an Extended Collector's Edition in both formats, released in the same year, and a Blu-ray 3D release, which came out in 2012. Use the following link to pre-order the Avatar 4K UHD Blu-ray on Amazon:
What Is the Plot of Avatar?
Set in the year 2154, Avatar is the story of Jake Sully, a disabled veteran who recently lost his twin brother, Tom. His twin's employers, the Resource Development Administration, or RDA for short, contact Jake and give him a wholly unique opportunity. The RDA is currently excavating on the planet Pandora; a hostile jungle environment that is home to an intelligent race of aliens known as the Na'vi. In an attempt to form a peaceful bond with the Na'vi, the RDA create the Avatar program, an initiative that creates clones mixed with human and Na'vi DNA where a human can transfer their consciousness into the being. Tom was one of these scientists/Avatar pilots, and since Jake's physiology is nearly identical to that of his twin brother, he's the only viable candidate to take his place.
When Jake arrives on Pandora, he meets the Avatar science team led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), who takes an instant dislike for Jake since he's not the scientific mind that his brother was. Jake also meets Quaritch (Stephen Lang); the head of the RDA's extensive security force, who offers Jake the opportunity to cover the expensive procedure that would allow him to walk permanently as long as he acts as a spy for him. Jake takes an instant liking to being an Avatar and eventually is introduced to the Na'vi through Neytiri, the daughter of the local tribe's chief. With the help of Neytiri, Jake learns the way of the Na'vi and begins the process of being accepted into the tribe.
Jake ultimately finds himself at a difficult crossroads. Does he assist the RDA in espionage, so they can harvest the planet, or will he side against humankind and help the Na'vi protect their home?