It's been 13 years since the release of James Cameron's visually stunning science fiction epic Avatar defined a generation with its 3D filmmaking technology. In a recent roundtable interview attended by SlashFilm, Cameron commented on Avatar's impact on the film industry and attributed it to its use of 3D. Cameron told reporters:
"I would say that the 3D was generally embraced for a period of time. Avatar won the best cinematography with a 3D digital camera. No digital camera had ever won the best cinematography Oscar before. Then two out of the three subsequent years, the same cameras were used by the cinematographers that won the Oscar. So you got 3 out of 4 years where the Academy embraced digital cinematography. And all 3 of those films were in 3D."
The films Cameron refers to include Hugo, Life of Pi, and Gravity, which would achieve acclaim for their application of 3D and win the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. With Avatar becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, film studio's quickly capitalized on the success by converting their movies to 3D during post-production, which was often criticized by audiences, the most notable example being the Clash of the Titans remake. Due to the poor implementation of the technology in many films, audiences quickly grew out of the medium as 3D ticket sales began to decline. However, Cameron added that 3D still has a place in cinemas, despite the general attitude becoming dismissive.
"3D appears to most people to sort of be 'over.' But it's really not over. It's just been accepted. It's just now a part of your choices when you go to the theater to see a big blockbuster movie ... I liken it to color," Cameron added. "When color films first came out, it was a big deal. People would go to see movies because they were in color. I think around the time of Avatar, people used to go to see movies because they were in 3D ... I think it had an impact on how films were presented that's now just sort of accepted and part of the zeitgeist and how it's done."
Whether 3D still has a place in the eyes of general audiences remains unknown for the time being. However, not all hope is lost for the technology as Cameron's Avatar returns to the big screen later this month ahead of its highly anticipated sequel. Audiences will be able to re-experience the beautiful world of Pandora in 3D all over again in an upgraded and stunning 4K high dynamic range. Following the film's re-release, audiences will be able to see Cameron's return to 3D filmmaking later this year as the director will return with the long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. Given the reception toward the 3D filmmaking of the first Avatar, it's likely that its highly anticipated sequel will further the technology to create an even more immersive experience for audiences when the film debuts on December 16.
Audiences can return to the world of Pandora in 3D next week when Avatar re-releases in theaters on September 23. Check out the official trailer for the film's theatrical re-issue below: