With James Cameron's science fiction epic returning to theaters this Friday, a new featurette for Avatar has been released, showcasing the movie's cast and crew looking back at the film's impact. The featurette features Cameron as he reminisces on the original movie and its effect on audiences back in 2009, which currently stands as the biggest film of all time. "What Avatar showed an audience was a world they couldn't imagine brought to life in front of their eyes," the director said.
The featurette also has the appearance of Sam Worthington, who plays Jake Sully in the film, Zoe Saldaña, who plays Neytiri, and Michelle Rodriguez as they discuss the reasons why the film resonated with audiences, with the movie representing timeless themes. Sigourney Weaver, who portrays Dr. Grace Augustine, praises the creative vision behind the film and its highly-detailed world-building, which enhanced the immersive 3D experience of the movie for those who saw it in theaters.
Stephen Lang, who plays the film's villain, Colonel Miles Quaritch, acknowledges the power of the film's message, which centers on the beauty of nature and the importance of preservation. With climate change and other ecological issues becoming more prevalent and talked about today, perhaps Avatar's return to theaters can remind audiences about the beauty of the natural world. Alongside the appearance of the cast, the featurette also features iconic imagery from various scenes of the film, which has been remastered in 4K high dynamic range. As Avatar is now upgraded in stunning 4K picture quality, audiences will be able to return to Pandora like they never could before as it returns to theaters later this week.
The first Avatar was released in 2009 to unprecedented success as the film became the highest-grossing movie of all time, becoming the first to surpass $2 billion worldwide. The film was well received for its groundbreaking visual effects, 3D filmmaking technology, and its highly-detailed and immersive world. While the film's traditional story beats received criticism, audiences still flocked to see Avatar for its jaw-dropping spectacle. Whether audiences will return to see the movie in theaters remains to be seen. Still, if the featurette isn't of any indication, Avatar demands to be seen on the largest screen possible.
Now, after 13 years, the franchise returns with the release of its long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, which will take audiences on a whole new journey on Pandora as the film explores the planet's oceans. The film will be released in theaters on December 16.
As fans anticipate the long-awaited sequel, the original Avatar returns to theaters this Friday. Check out the official featurette for the film below: