Avatar (2009 film)

In 2154, Earth suffers from resource exhaustion and ecological collapse. The Resources Development Administration (RDA) mines the valuable mineral unobtanium on Pandora, a lush habitable moon orbiting a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. Pandora, whose atmosphere is inhospitable to humans, is inhabited by the Na'vi, {{convert|10|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}}, blue-skinned, sapient humanoids that live in harmony with nature.

To explore Pandora, genetically matched human scientists control Na'vi-human hybrids called "avatars". Paraplegic former Marine Jake Sully is recruited by the RDA to replace his deceased identical twin, who had signed up to be an operator. Avatar Program head Dr. Grace Augustine considers Jake inadequate, but accepts him as an operator.

While escorting the avatars of Grace and Dr. Norm Spellman, Jake's avatar is attacked by Pandoran wildlife and flees into the forest, where he is rescued by the Na'vi princess Neytiri. Suspicious of Jake, she takes him to her clan. Neytiri's mother, Mo'at, the clan's spiritual leader, orders her daughter to initiate Jake into their society.

Colonel Miles Quaritch, head of RDA's security force, promises Jake that the company will restore the use of his legs if he provides information about the Na'vi and their gathering place, the giant Hometree, under which is a rich deposit of unobtanium. Learning of this, Grace transfers herself, Jake, and Norm to an outpost. Jake and Neytiri fall in love as Jake is initiated into the tribe, and they choose each other as mates. When Jake attempts to disable a bulldozer threatening a sacred Na'vi site, Administrator Parker Selfridge orders Hometree destroyed.

Despite Grace's argument that destroying Hometree would damage the biological neural network that encompasses all Pandoran life, Selfridge gives Jake and Grace one hour to convince the Na'vi to evacuate. Jake confesses that he was a spy and the Na'vi take him and Grace captive. Quaritch's soldiers destroy Hometree, killing many, including Neytiri's father, the clan chief. Mo'at frees Jake and Grace, but they are detached from their avatars and imprisoned by Quaritch's forces. Pilot Trudy Chacón, disgusted by Quaritch's brutality, airlifts Jake, Grace, and Norm to Grace's outpost, but during the escape Grace is shot and fatally wounded.

Jake regains the Na'vi's trust by connecting his mind to that of the Toruk, a dragon-like creature feared and revered by the Na'vi. Supported by Neytiri and the new chief Tsu'tey, Jake unites the clan, telling them to gather all the clans to battle the RDA. Quaritch organizes a strike against the Tree of Souls to demoralize the Na'vi. Before the battle, Jake prays to the Na'vi deity Eywa via a neural connection with the Tree of Souls.

Tsu'tey and Trudy are among the battle's heavy casualties. The Na'vi are rescued when Pandoran wildlife unexpectedly join the attack and overwhelm the humans, which Neytiri interprets as Eywa answering Jake's prayer. Quaritch, in an AMP suit, escapes his crashed aircraft and breaks open the avatar link unit containing Jake's human body, exposing it to Pandora's poisonous atmosphere. As Quaritch prepares to kill Jake's avatar, he is killed by Neytiri, who saves Jake from suffocation, seeing his human form for the first time.

The RDA are expelled from Pandora; only some humans are chosen to stay. Jake is permanently transferred into his avatar with the aid of the Tree of Souls.

{{Further|Fictional universe of Avatar}}

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• {{Anchor|Worthington}}Sam Worthington as Jake Sully:
  A disabled former Marine who becomes part of the Avatar Program after his twin brother is killed. His military background helps the Na'vi warriors relate to him.{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Lindsay |date=January 14, 2010 |title=James Cameron Planning 'Avatar' Trilogy |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-avatar-trilogy.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118112439/https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-avatar-trilogy.html |archive-date=January 18, 2010 |access-date=January 17, 2010 |publisher=Yahoo! Movies}} Cameron cast the Australian actor after a worldwide search for promising young actors, preferring relative unknowns to keep the budget down.{{Cite episode |series=The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien |network=NBC |season=1 |number=128 |quote="I was cheap" |credits=Conan O'Brien |air-date=December 18, 2009}} In the beginning, Cameron offered the role to Matt Damon, with a 10% stake in the film's profits, but Damon turned the film down because of his commitment to The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).{{cite web |last1=Grater |first1=Tom |title=Matt Damon Talks Turning Down {{'}}Avatar{{'}}, Almost Directing {{'}}Manchester By The Sea{{'}} & Diversity In His Films At Engaging Cannes Masterclass |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/matt-damon-talks-turning-down-avatar-almost-directing-manchester-by-the-sea-diversity-in-his-films-at-engaging-cannes-masterclass-1234789508 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709145913/https://deadline.com/2021/07/matt-damon-talks-turning-down-avatar-almost-directing-manchester-by-the-sea-diversity-in-his-films-at-engaging-cannes-masterclass-1234789508/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |date=July 9, 2021 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=February 26, 2022}} Other notable actors who auditioned for the part include Chris Pratt and Chris Pine with the studio pushing Jake Gyllenhaal to play the role, but Gyllenhaal turned the film down because he wished to focus on Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) instead{{cite news |last=Eisenberg |first=Eric |title=Chris Pratt Auditioned For {{'}}Star Trek{{'}} And {{'}}Avatar{{'}} Before {{'}}Guardians Of The Galaxy{{'}} |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-pratt-auditioned-for-star-trek-avatar-2014-7 |website=CinemaBlend |access-date=February 26, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Oldenburg |first1=Ann |title=Chris Pine says he cries 'all the time' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/05/13/chris-pine-says-he-cries-all-the-time/2156083 |website=USA Today |access-date=February 26, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Wigler |first1=Josh |title=Jake Gyllenhaal Talks about Almost Being in {{'}}Avatar{{'}} |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1633376/jake-gyllenhaal-talks-about-almost-being-in-avatar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108082225/http://www.mtv.com/news/1633376/jake-gyllenhaal-talks-about-almost-being-in-avatar/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 8, 2015 |website=MTV News |access-date=February 26, 2022}} Ultimately, the three finalists for the role were Channing Tatum, Chris Evans, and Worthington, with Cameron ultimately going with Worthington.{{cite web |last1=Travis |first1=Ben |title=Chris Evans And Channing Tatum Were Nearly Cast As Avatar{{'}}s Jake Sully |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/chris-evans-channing-tatum-nearly-cast-avatar-jake-sully/ |website=Empire |date=February 18, 2019 |access-date=February 26, 2022}} Worthington, who was living in his car at the time,{{Cite news |last=Williamson |first=Kevin |title=Paraplegic role helps Worthington find his feet |publisher=The London Free Press |url=https://lfpress.com/entertainment/movies/2009/12/15/12167326.html |access-date=January 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130075614/http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/movies/2009/12/15/12167326.html |archive-date=January 30, 2010}} initially thought that he would not be cast due to his frustration in the initial audition,{{cite web |last1=Scott |first1=Lyvie |title=Sam Worthington's 'Angry' Avatar Audition Should Have Cost Him The Role |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1139803/sam-worthingtons-angry-avatar-audition-should-have-cost-him-the-role/ |website=SlashFilm |access-date=1 February 2025 |date=15 December 2022}} but has since signed on for possible sequels.{{Cite magazine |date=January 14, 2010 |title=This week's cover: James Cameron reveals plans for an 'Avatar' sequel |url=https://ew.com/article/2010/01/14/avatar-sequel-james-cameron/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123170827/http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/01/14/avatar-sequel-james-cameron/ |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022}} Cameron felt that because Worthington had not done a major film, he would give the character "a quality that is really real". Cameron said he "has that quality of being a guy you'd want to have a beer with, and he ultimately becomes a leader who transforms the world".{{Cite news |last=Horn |first=John |title=Faces to watch 2009: film, TV, music and Web – Sam Worthington |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-faces-watch-2009-film-music-tv-web-pg-photogallery.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231040636/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-faces-watch-2009-film-music-tv-web-pg%2C0%2C2140976.photogallery?index=11 |archive-date=December 31, 2008}}
• Worthington also briefly appears as Jake's deceased identical twin, Dr. Tom "Tommy" Sully.
• Zoe Saldana, as Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite:
  The daughter of the leader of the Omaticaya (the Na'vi clan central to the story), She is heir to the spiritual leader of the clan. She is attracted to Jake because of his bravery, though frustrated with him for what she sees as his naiveté and stupidity. She serves as Jake's love interest.{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=David |date=February 11, 2007 |title=Avatar Scriptment: Summary, Review, and Analysis |url=http://jamescameron.blogspot.com/2007/02/avatar-scriptment-summary-review-and.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219184249/http://jamescameron.blogspot.com/2007/02/avatar-scriptment-summary-review-and.html |archive-date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=April 29, 2010 |publisher=James Cameron's Movies & Creations}} In earlier drafts of the screenplay, this character was known as "Zuleika Te Kaha Polenoma". When the film began to be developed, Charisma Carpenter was set to play the role. But by the time the film had been greenlit in 2006, Carpenter had become too old for the role and was thus not cast. Cameron then began a worldwide search for actresses to play the role, with Q'orianka Kilcher being considered and Emily Blunt auditioning for the role.{{cite web |title=Who was considered for Avatar? |url=https://www.notstarring.com/movies/avatar |website=Not Starring |access-date=27 February 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Maurice |title=25 Mind-Blowing Facts About James Cameron's Avatar |url=http://www.thegeektwins.com/2019/01/25-mind-blowing-facts-about-james.html |website=The Geek Twins |date=3 January 2019 |access-date=27 February 2022}}{{cite web |title=Q'orianka Kilcher Portrays Chickasaw Performer and Historical Figure in Film {{'}}Te Ata{{'}} |url=https://www.chickasaw.net/News/Press-Releases/Release/Q-orianka-Kilcher-portrays-Chickasaw-performer-and-57723.aspx |website=The Chickasaw Nation |access-date=27 February 2022}} Eventually, Cameron cast Saldana in the role. Since she was cast early in production, Saldana helped screen-test actors auditioning for the part of Jake Sully, including eventual co-star Worthington.{{cite web |last=Nichols |first=Mackenzie |title={{'}}Avatar{{'}}: James Cameron, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver Look Back a Decade Later |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/features/avatar-oral-history-james-cameron-zoe-saldana-sigourney-weaver-10-anniversary-1203439501/ |website=Variety |date=18 December 2019 |access-date=27 February 2022}} The character, like all the Na'vi, was created using performance capture, and its visual aspect is entirely computer generated.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=January 9, 2007 |title="Titanic" director sets sci-fi epic for '09 |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0840149120070111 |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122120454/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0840149120070111 |archive-date=January 22, 2010}} Saldaña signed on for potential sequels.{{Cite news |date=January 9, 2007 |title=Cameron's Avatar Starts Filming in April |work=ComingSoon.net |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/18318-camerons-avatar-starts-filming-in-april |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822104854/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/avatarnews.php?id=18318 |archive-date=August 22, 2008}}
• Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch:
  The head of the mining operation's security detail.{{Cite news |last=Travis |first=Ben |date=July 3, 2022 |title=Stephen Lang's Quaritch Is 'Bigger, Bluer, And Pissed Off' In Avatar 2 – Exclusive Image |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/stephen-lang-quaritch-bigger-bluer-pissed-off-avatar-2-exclusive-image/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703140059/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/stephen-lang-quaritch-bigger-bluer-pissed-off-avatar-2-exclusive-image/ |archive-date=July 3, 2022}} Fiercely consistent in his disregard for any life not recognized as human, he has a profound disregard for Pandora's inhabitants that is evident in both his actions and his language. Lang had unsuccessfully auditioned for a role in Cameron's Aliens (1986), but the director remembered Lang and sought him for Avatar. Michael Biehn, who had worked with Cameron in Aliens, The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), was briefly considered for the role. He read the script and watched some of the 3-D footage with Cameron{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Jessica |date=March 26, 2007 |title=Michael Biehn Talks 'Avatar' – Cameron Not Using Cameras? |url=http://www.cinematical.com/2007/03/26/michael-biehn-talks-avatar-cameron-not-using-cameras/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112112731/http://www.cinematical.com/2007/03/26/michael-biehn-talks-avatar-cameron-not-using-cameras |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |website=Cinematical}} but was ultimately not cast.
• Michelle Rodriguez as Captain Trudy Chacón:
  A combat pilot assigned to support the Avatar Program who is sympathetic to the Na'vi. Cameron had wanted to work with Rodriguez since seeing her in Girlfight (2000).{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=August 2, 2007 |title=Lang, Rodriguez armed for 'Avatar' |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/news/lang-rodriguez-armed-for-avatar-2-1117969650/ |access-date=August 3, 2007}}
• Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge:
  The corporate administrator for the RDA mining operation.{{Cite news |last=Simmons |first=Leslie |date=September 21, 2007 |title='Avatar' has new player with Ribisi |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/avatar-has-new-player-ribisi-150709/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427205306/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/avatar-has-new-player-ribisi-150709/ |archive-date=April 27, 2022}}{{cite web |first=Don |last=Kaye |title=How The Saving Private Ryan Cast Launched A New Generation Of Stars |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/saving-private-ryan-cast-launched-new-generation-stars/ |website=Den of Geek |date=April 21, 2021 |access-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527232727/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/saving-private-ryan-cast-launched-new-generation-stars/ |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Harp |first=Justin |date=October 13, 2017 |title=James Cameron's Avatar is bringing back Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge for All the sequels |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a840582/avatar-2-giovanni-ribisi-back-parker-selfridge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717180113/https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a840582/avatar-2-giovanni-ribisi-back-parker-selfridge/ |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Digital Spy}} While he is at first willing to destroy the Na'vi civilization to preserve the company's bottom line, he is reluctant to authorize the attacks on the Na'vi and taint his image, doing so only after Quaritch persuades him that it is necessary and that the attacks will be humane. When the attacks are broadcast to the base, Selfridge displays discomfort at the violence.
• Joel David Moore as Dr. Norm Spellman:
  A xenoanthropologist{{Cite web |last=Cameron |first=James |year=2007 |title=Avatar |url=http://www.foxscreenings.com/media/pdf/JamesCameronAVATAR.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525105437/http://www.foxscreenings.com/media/pdf/JamesCameronAVATAR.pdf |archive-date=May 25, 2010 |access-date=May 6, 2010 |website=Fox Screenings}} who studies plant and animal life as part of the Avatar Program.{{Cite web |last=Lux |first=Rachel |date=December 14, 2009 |title=Close-Up: Joel David Moore |url=http://www.altpress.com/screening/joeldavidmoore.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102033335/http://altpress.com/screening/joeldavidmoore.htm |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |access-date=May 6, 2010 |website=Alternative Press}} He arrives on Pandora at the same time as Jake and operates an avatar. Although he is expected to lead the diplomatic contact with the Na'vi, it turns out that Jake has the personality better suited to win the natives' respect. Josh Gad was a runner-up for the role.[https://variety.com/2025/film/news/josh-gad-denied-role-avatar-tall-overweight-smurf-navi-james-cameron-1236279524/ Josh Gad Says He Was Denied a Role in ‘Avatar’ Because He Looked Like a ‘Tall Overweight Smurf’ As a Na’vi]
• Moore also portrays Norm's Na'vi avatar.
• CCH Pounder as Mo'at:
  The spiritual leader of the Omaticaya. She is the mother of Neytiri and mate to Eytukan, the clan's leader.{{Cite news |date=April 30, 2007 |title=Pounder Talks Avatar |work=IGN |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/04/30/pounder-talks-avatar |access-date=December 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105094414/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/04/30/pounder-talks-avatar |archive-date=November 5, 2012}}
• Wes Studi as Eytukan te Tskaha Kamun'itan:
  The clan chief of the Omaticaya. He is the mate of Mo'at and father of Neytiri.
• Laz Alonso as Tsu'tey te Rongloa Ateyitan:
  The finest warrior of the Omaticaya. He is heir to the chieftainship of the tribe. At the beginning of the film's story, he is betrothed to Neytiri.
• Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine:
  An exobiologist and head of the Avatar Program. She is also Jake's mentor and an advocate of peaceful relations with the Na'vi, having set up a school to teach them English.{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Clint |date=August 2, 2007 |title=Sigouney Weaver talks Avatar |publisher=Moviehole.net |url=http://www.moviehole.net/news/20070802_sigouney_weaver_talks_avatar.html |access-date=August 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083436/http://www.moviehole.net/news/20070802_sigouney_weaver_talks_avatar.html |archive-date=September 29, 2007}} Weaver dyed her hair red for the part.{{cite news |author=Ryan Stewart |title=Exclusive: Sigourney Weaver Looks to the Future |work=Premiere |date=2008-02-21 |url=http://www.premiere.com/features/4413/exclusive-sigourney-weaver-looks-to-the-future-page4.html |access-date=2008-02-21 |archive-date=May 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529033501/http://www.premiere.com/features/4413/exclusive-sigourney-weaver-looks-to-the-future-page4.html |url-status=dead}} Her character was named "Shipley" at one point.{{cite news |title=Things We've Learnt |work=Empire |date=February 2008 |page=27}} The character reminded Weaver of Cameron, being "very driven and very idealistic".{{cite news |author=Shawn Adler |title=Sigourney Weaver's 'Avatar' Character Mirrors James Cameron, Actress Says |work=MTV Movies Blog |date=2008-02-27 |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/02/27/sigourney-weaver-on-avatar/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526102606/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/02/27/sigourney-weaver-on-avatar/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |access-date=2008-02-28}}
• Weaver also portrays Grace's Na'vi avatar.
• Dileep Rao as Dr. Max Patel:
  A scientist who works in the Avatar Program and comes to support Jake's rebellion against the RDA{{Cite news |last=Bazley |first=Lewis |date=May 25, 2009 |title=Drag Me to Hell Review |publisher=inthenews.co.uk |url=http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/film/non-fiction/drag-me-hell-$1298376.htm |access-date=June 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611000612/http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/film/non-fiction/drag-me-hell-%241298376.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2009}}
• Matt Gerald as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet:
  A mercenary who works for the RDA as Quaritch's right-hand man.

Additionally, Alicia Vela-Bailey appears, uncredited, as Ikeyni, the leader of the Tayrangi clan, Saeyla, one of the young Na'vi hunters who accompany Jake during his Iknimaya and a harassed blonde woman in a bar that Jake defends. Vela-Bailey served as the stunt double for Zoe Saldana and would later portray Zdinarsk in Avatar: The Way of Water. Terry Notary, who performed stunts as well, plays the Banshees via motion capture.

File:JamesCameronDec09.jpg in December 2009 on Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]

In 1994,{{Cite web |last=Marquardt |first=Alexander |date=January 14, 2010 |title=Did Avatar Borrow from Soviet Sci-Fi Novels? |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/avatars-james-cameron-borrow-soviet-sci-fi-novels/story?id=9561339 |access-date=March 8, 2012 |website=ABC News}} director James Cameron wrote an 80-page treatment for Avatar, drawing inspiration from science fiction books he had read in his childhood, as well as from adventure novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs and H. Rider Haggard. Parts of the movie also came to him in a dream when he was 19 years old. He dreamed about a bioluminescent forest with fiber-optic trees, fan lizards, a river with bioluminescent particles and a purple moss that lit up when stepped on. When he woke up, he made a drawing of the scene and later used it in the movie.[https://www.gq.com/story/james-cameron-profile-men-of-the-year-2022 The Return of James Cameron, Box Office King - GQ] In August 1996, Cameron announced that after completing Titanic, he would film Avatar, which would make use of synthetic, or computer-generated, actors. The project would cost $100 million and involve at least six actors in leading roles "who appear to be real but do not exist in the physical world".{{Cite web |title="Avatar": James Cameron's New SciFi Thriller -The Official Trailer (VIDEO) |url=http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/08/james-camerons-avatar-hollywood-betting-big-on-3-d-future-after-years-of-dismissing-3-d-as-childs-play-hollywood-studio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014233936/http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/08/james-camerons-avatar-hollywood-betting-big-on-3-d-future-after-years-of-dismissing-3-d-as-childs-play-hollywood-studio.html |archive-date=October 14, 2017 |access-date=October 14, 2017 |website=The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel}} Visual effects house Digital Domain, with whom Cameron has a partnership, joined the project, which was supposed to begin production in mid-1997 for a 1999 release. However, Cameron felt that the technology had not caught up with the story and vision that he intended to tell. He decided to concentrate on making documentaries and refining the technology for the next few years. It was revealed in a Bloomberg BusinessWeek cover story that 20th Century Fox had fronted $10 million to Cameron to film a proof-of-concept clip for Avatar, which he showed to Fox executives in October 2005.{{Cite news |last1=Grover |first1=Ronald |last2=Lowry |first2=Tom |last3=White |first3=Michael |date=January 21, 2010 |title=King of the World (Again) |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-01-21/king-of-the-world-again |url-status=live |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125173417/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_05/b4165048396178.htm |archive-date=January 25, 2010}}

In February 2006, Cameron revealed that his film Project 880 was "a retooled version of Avatar", a film that he had tried to make years earlier,{{Cite news |last=Knowles |first=Harry |date=February 28, 2006 |title=Harry talks to James Cameron, Cracks PROJECT 880, the BATTLE ANGEL trilogy & Cameron's live shoot on Mars!!! |work=Ain't It Cool News |url=http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/22599 |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013151349/http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22599 |archive-date=October 13, 2006}} citing the technological advances in the creation of the computer-generated characters Gollum, King Kong, and Davy Jones. Cameron had chosen Avatar over his project Battle Angel after completing a five-day camera test in the previous year.{{Cite news |last=Horn |first=John |date=January 8, 2007 |title=Director Cameron to shoot again |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-cameron8jan08,0,1470846.story |access-date=January 9, 2007}}

From January to April 2006, Cameron worked on the script and developed a culture for the Na'vi, the film's aliens. The Na'vi language was created by Paul Frommer, a linguist at USC. The Na'vi language has a lexicon of about 1000 words, with some 30 added by Cameron. The tongue's phonemes include ejective consonants (such as the "kx" in "skxawng") that are found in Amharic, and the initial "ng" that Cameron may have taken from the Māori language. Actress Sigourney Weaver and the film's set designers met with Jodie S. Holt, professor of plant physiology at University of California, Riverside, to learn about the methods used by botanists to study and sample plants, and to discuss ways to explain the communication between Pandora's organisms depicted in the film.{{Cite news |last=Kozlowski |first=Lori |date=January 2, 2010 |title='Avatar' team brought in UC Riverside professor to dig in the dirt of Pandora |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/01/avatar-team-brought-in-uc-riverside-professor-to-dig-in-the-dirt-of-pandora.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104200052/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/01/avatar-team-brought-in-uc-riverside-professor-to-dig-in-the-dirt-of-pandora.html |archive-date=January 4, 2010}}

From 2005 to 2007, Cameron worked with a handful of designers, including famed fantasy illustrator Wayne Barlowe and renowned concept artist Jordu Schell, to shape the design of the Na'vi with paintings and physical sculptures when Cameron felt that 3D brush renderings were not capturing his vision,{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Lauren |date=August 9, 2009 |title=Avatar Concept Designer Reveals the Secrets of the Na'vi |work=Gizmodo |url=https://gizmodo.com/avatar-concept-designer-reveals-the-secrets-of-the-navi-5354315 |access-date=April 27, 2022}} often working together in the kitchen of Cameron's Malibu home.{{Cite news |last=Kendricks |first=Neil |date=March 7, 2010 |title=Cameron, the Science Geek Who Became a Movie Titan for the Ages |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-cameron-the-science-geek-who-became-a-movie-titan-2010mar07-story.html |access-date=April 27, 2022}} In July 2006, Cameron announced that he would film Avatar for a mid-2008 release and planned to begin principal photography with an established cast by February 2007.{{Cite news |last=Crabtree |first=Sheigh |date=July 7, 2006 |title=Cameron comes back with CG extravaganza |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/columns/film_reporter_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002801137 |access-date=October 18, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814194411/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/columns/film_reporter_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002801137 |archive-date=August 14, 2006}} The following August, the visual effects studio Weta Digital signed on to help Cameron produce Avatar.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Lynn |date=August 4, 2006 |title=Special-effects giants sign on to 'Avatar' |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-aug-05-et-quick5.2-story.html |access-date=April 27, 2022}} Stan Winston, who had collaborated with Cameron in the past, joined Avatar to help with the film's designs.{{Cite book |last1=Duncan |first1=Jody |title=The Winston Effect: The Art and History of Stan Winston Studio |last2=Cameron |first2=James |date=October 2006 |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=1-84576-150-2}} Production design for the film took several years. The film had two different production designers, and two separate art departments, one of which focused on the flora and fauna of Pandora, and another that created human machines and human factors.{{Cite web |last=Anders |first=Charlie Jane |date=December 10, 2009 |title=Avatar Started As A Four-Month, Late-Night Jam Session At James Cameron's House |url=https://gizmodo.com/avatar-started-as-a-four-month-late-night-jam-session-5423458 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Gizmodo}} In September 2006, Cameron was announced to be using his own Reality Camera System to film in 3D. The system would use two high-definition cameras in a single camera body to create depth perception.{{Cite news |date=September 27, 2006 |title=Technology adds more in-depth feeling to the movie experience |work=The Washington Times |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/sep/27/20060927-094134-2760r/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073123/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/sep/27/20060927-094134-2760r/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

While these preparations were underway, Fox wavered in its commitment to Avatar because of cost overruns and delays on Cameron's previous picture, Titanic. During the production of Titanic, Cameron rewrote the script to streamline the plot by combining several characters' roles and offered to cut his fee if the film were a commercial disappointment. Cameron installed a traffic light with the amber signal lit outside of co-producer Jon Landau's office to represent the film's uncertain future. Landau, who previously worked with Cameron as co-producer of Titanic, first met Cameron in 1993 when they were involved in the production of True Lies. Following True Lies, Landau would leave his role as a Fox executive to work in Cameron's production company Lightstorm. After Landau's death in July 2024, Cameron credited him for having a vital role in the production of Avatar.

In mid-2006, Fox decisively declined to produce the film, so Cameron began shopping it around to other studios. He approached Walt Disney Studios, showing his proof of concept to Disney CEO Bob Iger, then-studio chairman Dick Cook, and Alan Bergman.{{Cite news |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca |date=November 30, 2022 |title=Inside James Cameron's Billion-Dollar Bet on 'Avatar' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/feature/james-cameron-interview-avatar-the-way-of-water-franchise-future-1235271483/ |access-date=April 1, 2025 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}} However, when Walt Disney Pictures attempted to take over, Fox exercised its right of first refusal. In October 2006, Fox finally committed to making Avatar after Ingenious Media agreed to back the film, reducing Fox's financial exposure to less than half of the film's official $237 million budget. After Fox accepted Avatar, one skeptical Fox executive told Cameron and Landau, "I don't know if we're crazier for letting you do this, or if you're crazier for thinking you can do this ..."{{Cite book |last1=Duncan |first1=Jody |title=The Making of Avatar |last2=Fitzpatrick |first2=Lisa |publisher=Abrams Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-8109-9706-6 |location=United States |page=52}}

{{external media

| topic = James Cameron interviewed by F. X. Feeney on writing Avatar.

| audio1 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728174551/http://media.wgaw.org/audio/Cameron_Feeney.mp3 Interview]{{Cite web |title=Written By homepage |url=http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenby.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130043730/http://wga.org/writtenby/writtenby.aspx |archive-date=November 30, 2010 |access-date=November 20, 2010}}

}}

In December 2006, Cameron described Avatar as "a futuristic tale set on a planet 200 years hence ... an old-fashioned jungle adventure with an environmental conscience [that] aspires to a mythic level of storytelling". The January 2007 press release described the film as "an emotional journey of redemption and revolution" and said the story is of "a wounded former Marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in biodiversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival". The story would be of an entire world complete with an ecosystem of phantasmagorical plants and creatures, and native people with a rich culture and language.

Estimates put the cost of the film at about $280–310 million to produce and an estimated $150 million for marketing, noting that about $30 million in tax credits would lessen the financial impact on the studio and its financiers.{{Cite news |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca |date=December 22, 2009 |title=How Much Did Avatar Really Cost? |work=Vanity Fair |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/12/how-much-did-avatar-really-cost.html |access-date=December 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114015407/http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/12/how-much-did-avatar-really-cost.html |archive-date=January 14, 2010}} A studio spokesperson said that the budget was "$237 million, with $150 million for promotion, end of story."{{Cite web |last=Patten |first=Dominic |date=December 3, 2009 |title=Avatar{{'s}} True Cost – and Consequences |url=https://www.thewrap.com/avatars-true-cost-and-consequences-11206/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702133635/https://www.thewrap.com/avatars-true-cost-and-consequences-11206/ |archive-date=July 2, 2015 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=TheWrap}}

Principal photography for Avatar began in April 2007 in Los Angeles and Wellington. Cameron described the film as a hybrid with a full live-action shoot in combination with computer-generated characters and live environments. "Ideally at the end of the day the audience has no idea which they're looking at," Cameron said. The director indicated that he had already worked four months on nonprincipal scenes for the film.{{Cite news |last=Waxman |first=Sharon |date=January 8, 2007 |title='Titanic' Director Joins Fox on $200 Million Film |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/08/movies/08cnd-cameron.html |access-date=January 8, 2007}} The live action was shot with a modified version of the proprietary digital 3D Fusion Camera System, developed by Cameron and Vince Pace.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=January 2010 |title=How James Cameron's Innovative New 3D Tech Created Avatar |work=Popular Mechanics |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/movies/a5067/4339455/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214063740/http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4339455.html?page=2 |archive-date=December 14, 2009}} In January 2007, Fox had announced that 3D filming for Avatar would be done at 24 frames per second, despite Cameron's strong opinion that a 3D film requires a higher frame rate to make strobing less noticeable.{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=David S. |date=April 10, 2008 |title=James Cameron supercharges 3-D |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2008/digital/features/james-cameron-supercharges-3-d-1117983864/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331135631/https://variety.com/2008/digital/features/james-cameron-supercharges-3-d-1117983864/ |archive-date=March 31, 2022}} According to Cameron, the film is composed of 60% computer-generated elements and 40% live action, as well as traditional miniatures.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=January 9, 2007 |title=Cameron sets live-action, CG epic for 2009 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cameron-sets-live-action-cg-127505/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004211859/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cameron-sets-live-action-cg-127505/ |archive-date=October 4, 2021}}

Motion-capture photography lasted 31 days at the Hughes Aircraft stage in Playa Vista, Los Angeles. Live action photography began in October 2007 at Stone Street Studios in Wellington and was scheduled to last 31 days.{{Cite news |date=October 17, 2007 |title=$200m Avatar starts filming in Wellington |work=Stuff |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/28433/200m-Avatar-starts-filming-in-Wellington |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614054812/http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/27960/200m-Avatar-starts-filming-in-Wellington |archive-date=June 14, 2011}} More than a thousand people worked on the production.{{Cite magazine |last=Quittner |first=Josh |author-link=Josh Quittner |date=March 19, 2009 |title=The Next Dimension |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1886541-3,00.html |access-date=March 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322030117/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C1886541-3%2C00.html |archive-date=March 22, 2009}} In preparation of the filming sequences, all of the actors underwent professional training specific to their characters such as archery, horseback riding, firearm use, and hand-to-hand combat. They received language and dialect training in the Na'vi language created for the film.{{Cite AV media |url=http://video.yahoo.com/watch/6813289/17711648 |title='Avatar' Creating the World of Pandora (Video) |date=January 19, 2010 |publisher=Yahoo! Video |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125190416/http://video.yahoo.com/watch/6813289/17711648 |archive-date=January 25, 2010 |people=James Cameron and production team}} Before shooting the film, Cameron also sent the cast to the Hawaiian tropical rainforests{{Cite news |date=November 9, 2009 |title=James Cameron's Jungle Expedition For 'Avatar' Stars |publisher=Starpulse.com |url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/11/09/james_cameron_s_jungle_expedition_for_av |access-date=January 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211220710/http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2009/11/09/james_cameron_s_jungle_expedition_for_av |archive-date=February 11, 2010}} to get a feel for a rainforest setting before shooting on the soundstage.

During filming, Cameron made use of his virtual camera system, a new way of directing motion-capture filmmaking. The system shows the actors' virtual counterparts in their digital surroundings in real time, allowing the director to adjust and direct scenes just as if shooting live action. According to Cameron, "It's like a big, powerful game engine. If I want to fly through space, or change my perspective, I can. I can turn the whole scene into a living miniature and go through it on a 50-to-1 scale."{{Cite news |last=Waxman |first=Sharon |date=January 9, 2007 |title=Computers Join Actors in Hybrids On Screen |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/movies/09came.html |access-date=August 22, 2007}} Using conventional techniques, the complete virtual world cannot be seen until the motion-capture of the actors is complete. Cameron said this process does not diminish the value or importance of acting. On the contrary, because there is no need for repeated camera and lighting setups, costume fittings and make-up touch-ups, scenes do not need to be interrupted repeatedly.{{Cite news |last=Abramowitz |first=Rachel |date=February 19, 2009 |title=Do the 'Avatar' actors deserve recognition? |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sc-ent-0224-avatar-actors-20100224,0,1272757.story |access-date=February 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301025506/http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sc-ent-0224-avatar-actors-20100224%2C0%2C1272757.story |archive-date=March 1, 2010}} Cameron described the system as a "form of pure creation where if you want to move a tree or a mountain or the sky or change the time of day, you have complete control over the elements".{{Cite news |last=Warren |first=Jane |date=December 11, 2009 |title=Avatar: Director James Cameron's crowning glory |work=Daily Express |location=UK |url=http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/145382/Avatar-Director-James-Cameron-s-crowning-glory |access-date=January 24, 2010}}

Cameron gave fellow directors Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson a chance to test the new technology.{{Cite news |last=Rampton |first=James |date=December 19, 2006 |title=James Cameron: King of all he surveys |work=The Independent |location=London |url=http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/features/article2087309.ece |access-date=December 20, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070108222329/http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/features/article2087309.ece |archive-date=January 8, 2007}} Spielberg said, "I like to think of it as digital makeup, not augmented animation ... Motion capture brings the director back to a kind of intimacy that actors and directors only know when they're working in live theater." Spielberg and George Lucas were also able to visit the set to watch Cameron direct with the equipment.{{Cite web |last=Chang |first=Aldric |date=August 20, 2009 |title=Reading Between the Lines: First Image of James Cameron's Avatar |url=http://blog.media-freaks.com/reading-lines-image-james-camerons-avatar/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830190948/http://blog.media-freaks.com/reading-lines-image-james-camerons-avatar/ |archive-date=August 30, 2009 |access-date=February 5, 2015 |publisher=media-freaks.com}}

To film the shots where CGI interacts with live action, a unique camera referred to as a "simulcam" was used, a merger of the 3D fusion camera and the virtual camera systems. While filming live action in real time with the simulcam, the CGI images captured with the virtual camera or designed from scratch, are superimposed over the live action images as in augmented reality and shown on a small monitor, making it possible for the director to instruct the actors how to relate to the virtual material in the scene.

Due to Cameron's personal convictions about climate change, he allowed only plant-based (vegan) food to be served on set.{{Cite news |last1=Cameron |first1=James |last2=Cameron |first2=Suzy Amis |date=December 4, 2017 |title=Animal agriculture is choking the Earth and making us sick. We must act now |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/dec/04/animal-agriculture-choking-earth-making-sick-climate-food-environmental-impact-james-cameron-suzy-amis-cameron |access-date=December 6, 2017 |issn=0261-3077}}

Eventually, Cameron stated that it was Jon Landau who was "the heart of the Avatar family" and "the center of gravity of our little bubble universe."

File:Avatarmotioncapture.jpg |location=Riverside, CA |page=86}}|alt=The left image shows the blue cat-like alien Neytiri shouting. The right image shows the actress who portrays her, Zoe Saldana, with motion-capture dots across her face and a small camera in front of her eyes.]]

A number of innovative visual effects techniques were used during production. According to Cameron, work on the film had been delayed since the 1990s to allow the techniques to reach the necessary degree of advancement to adequately portray his vision of the film. The director planned to make use of photorealistic computer-generated characters, created using new motion capture animation technologies he had been developing in the 14 months leading up to December 2006.

Innovations include a new system for lighting massive areas like Pandora's jungle,{{Cite web |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |date=February 1, 2010 |title='Avatar' Oscars could make Weta household name |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/avatar-oscars-could-make-weta-household-name/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227224320/https://www.cnet.com/news/avatar-oscars-could-make-weta-household-name/ |archive-date=February 27, 2015 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |website=CNET}} a motion-capture stage or "volume" six times larger than any previously used, and an improved method of capturing facial expressions, enabling full performance capture. To achieve the face capturing, actors wore individually made skull caps fitted with a tiny camera positioned in front of the actors' faces; the information collected about their facial expressions and eyes is then transmitted to computers.{{Cite news |last=McConnon |first=Aili |date=April 2, 2007 |title=James Cameron on the Cutting Edge |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2007-04-01/online-extra-james-cameron-on-the-cutting-edge |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030002659/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_14/b4028005.htm |archive-date=October 30, 2009}} According to Cameron, the method allows the filmmakers to transfer 100% of the actors' physical performances to their digital counterparts.{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Amy |date=July 25, 2009 |title=Jackson, Cameron Saddened by State of Film Industry (Video) |url=https://www.thewrap.com/jackson-cameron-saddened-state-film-industry-video-4578/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122093957/http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/jackson-cameron-saddened-state-film-industry_4578 |archive-date=January 22, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022}}

Besides the performance capture data which were transferred directly to the computers, numerous reference cameras gave the digital artists multiple angles of each performance.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Phillip |date=January 19, 2010 |title=James Cameron Mixes It Up With Avatar |url=http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/avatar_james_cameron_jon_landau_20100119/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910134825/http://www.moviemaker.com/directing/article/avatar_james_cameron_jon_landau_20100119/ |archive-date=September 10, 2012 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |website=MovieMaker}} A technically challenging scene was near the end of the film when the computer-generated Neytiri held the live action Jake in human form, and attention was given to the details of the shadows and reflected light between them.{{Cite news |last=Gelten |first=Larry |date=January 31, 2010 |title=2nd look: 'Avatar' |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2010/01/31/2nd-look-avatar/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912100919/http://nypost.com/2010/01/31/2nd-look-avatar/ |archive-date=September 12, 2017}}

The lead visual effects company was Weta Digital in Wellington, at one point employing 900 people to work on the film.{{Cite news |last=Wakefield |first=Philip |date=December 19–25, 2009 |title=Close encounters of the 3D kind |volume=3632 |work=The Listener |url=http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3632/features/14597/close_encounters_of_the_3d_kind_.html |access-date=February 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522202919/http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3632/features/14597/close_encounters_of_the_3d_kind_.html |archive-date=May 22, 2010}} Because of the huge amount of data which needed to be stored, cataloged and available for everybody involved, even on the other side of the world, a new cloud computing and Digital Asset Management (DAM) system named Gaia was created by Microsoft especially for Avatar, which allowed the crews to keep track of and coordinate all stages in the digital processing.{{Cite web |last=Siegel |first=Jake |date=February 5, 2010 |title=Cameron Says Microsoft's Role in 'Avatar' Was Key |url=https://www.microsoft.com/microsoftservices/en/us/article_Microsoft_Role_In_Avatar.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106163618/http://www.microsoft.com/microsoftservices/en/us/article_Microsoft_Role_In_Avatar.aspx |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=December 21, 2010 |publisher=Microsoft}} To render Avatar, Weta used a {{convert|10000|sqft|m2|abbr=on|disp=flip}} server farm making use of 4,000 Hewlett-Packard servers with 35,000 processor cores with 104 terabytes of RAM and three petabytes of network area storage running Ubuntu Linux, Grid Engine cluster manager, and 2 of the animation software and managers, Pixar's RenderMan and Pixar's Alfred queue management system.{{Cite journal |last=Ericson |first=Jim |date=January 2, 2010 |title=Overheard: AVATAR's Data Center |url=http://www.information-management.com/issues/20_1/avatars-data-center-10016926-1.html |journal=SourceMedia |publisher=Information Management |page=26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327235932/https://www.information-management.com/news/overheard-avatars-data-center |archive-date=March 27, 2020 |access-date=March 27, 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Ericson |first=Jim |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Processing AVATAR |work=SourceMedia |publisher=Information Management |url=http://www.information-management.com/newsletters/avatar_data_processing-10016774-1.html |access-date=February 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225182745/http://www.information-management.com/newsletters/avatar_data_processing-10016774-1.html |archive-date=December 25, 2009}}{{Cite web |last=Paul |first=Ryan |date=March 26, 2010 |title=Cloudy with a chance of Linux: Canonical aims to cash in |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2010/03/ubuntu-gaining-traction-on-servers-and-in-the-cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329021325/http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2010/03/ubuntu-gaining-traction-on-servers-and-in-the-cloud.ars |archive-date=March 29, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Ars Technica}}{{Cite web |last=Rowe |first=Robin |date=March 1, 2009 |title=The Day the Earth Stood Still |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/10301 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430060203/http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/10301 |archive-date=April 30, 2010 |access-date=March 28, 2010 |website=Linux Journal}} The render farm occupies the 193rd to 197th spots in the TOP500 list of the world's most powerful supercomputers. A new texturing and paint software system, called Mari, was developed by The Foundry in cooperation with Weta.{{Cite web |last=Hellard |first=Paul |date=May 25, 2010 |title=Jack Greasley, developer and Product Manager at The Foundry, takes CGSociety for a look around Mari, the new texture application. |url=http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/mari |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110155029/http://www.cgsociety.org/index.php/CGSFeatures/CGSFeatureSpecial/mari |archive-date=November 10, 2011 |access-date=December 21, 2010 |website=CG Society}}{{Cite web |last=Seymour |first=Mike |date=March 29, 2010 |title=Exclusive: Foundry NAB Preview |url=http://www.fxguide.com/featured/exclusive_foundry_nab_preview/ |access-date=December 21, 2010 |website=FX Guide}} Creating the Na'vi characters and the virtual world of Pandora required over a petabyte of digital storage,{{Cite news |last=Masters |first=Tim |date=December 16, 2009 |title=Will Avatar crown James Cameron 'King of the Universe'? |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8414223.stm |url-status=live |access-date=January 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114065916/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8414223.stm |archive-date=January 14, 2010}} and each minute of the final footage for Avatar occupies 17.28 gigabytes of storage.{{Cite web |last=Rath |first=John |date=December 22, 2009 |title=The Data-Crunching Powerhouse Behind 'Avatar' |url=http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/12/22/the-data-crunching-powerhouse-behind-avatar/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122230955/http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2009/12/22/the-data-crunching-powerhouse-behind-avatar/ |archive-date=January 22, 2010 |access-date=January 21, 2010 |website=Datacenterknowledge.com}} It would often take the computer several hours to render a single frame of the film.{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Doug |date=December 24, 2009 |title=The computing power that created Avatar |url=http://www.geek.com/chips/the-computing-power-that-created-avatar-1031232/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414060829/http://www.geek.com/chips/the-computing-power-that-created-avatar-1031232/ |archive-date=April 14, 2013 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |publisher=Geek.com}} To help finish preparing the special effects sequences on time, a number of other companies were brought on board, including Industrial Light & Magic, which worked alongside Weta Digital to create the battle sequences. ILM was responsible for the visual effects for many of the film's specialized vehicles and devised a new way to make CGI explosions.{{Cite web |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |date=December 19, 2009 |title=ILM steps in to help finish 'Avatar' visual effects |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ilm-steps-in-to-help-finish-avatar-visual-effects/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428050346/https://www.cnet.com/news/ilm-steps-in-to-help-finish-avatar-visual-effects/ |archive-date=April 28, 2014 |access-date=April 28, 2014 |website=CNET}} Joe Letteri was the film's visual effects general supervisor.{{Cite news |last=Giardina |first=Carolyn |date=October 12, 2017 |title='Avatar' VFX Supervisor Joe Letteri Will be Feted by Visual Effects Society |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-vfx-supervisor-joe-letteri-will-be-feted-by-visual-effects-society-1048090/ |access-date=October 12, 2017}}

{{Main|Avatar: Music from the Motion Picture|l1=Avatar: Music from the Motion Picture}}

{{listen

| filename=Jameshorneravatarclip.ogg

| title=James Horner – "Jake Enters His Avatar World"

| description=listen to a clip from the score of the 2009 film Avatar.

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Composer James Horner scored the film, his third collaboration with Cameron after Aliens and Titanic.{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2007 |title=Fox confirms Horner on Cameron's 'Avatar' |url=http://www.filmmusicweekly.com/issues/FM_Weekly_061907.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129050902/http://www.filmmusicweekly.com/issues/FM_Weekly_061907.pdf |archive-date=November 29, 2007 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |website=FilmMusic Weekly}} Horner recorded parts of the score with a small chorus singing in the alien language Na'vi in March 2008.{{Cite news |last=Dorey, Jim |date=April 2, 2008 |title=Na'vi Alien Language Incorporated In "Avatar" Music Soundtrack |publisher=MarketSaw Blog |url=http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/04/navi-alien-language-incorporated-in.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221070801/http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2008/04/navi-alien-language-incorporated-in.html |archive-date=December 21, 2009}}

He also worked with Wanda Bryant, an ethnomusicologist, to create a music culture for the alien race.{{Cite news |last=Lucas, Ann |date=Fall 2007 |title=Alumni News |publisher=University of California, Los Angeles Department of Ethnomusicology |url=https://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/images/acrobatfiles/ethnomusic/newsletterfall07.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106013457/https://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/images/acrobatfiles/ethnomusic/newsletterfall07.pdf |archive-date=November 6, 2016}}

The first scoring sessions were planned to take place in early 2009.{{Cite news |last=Carlsson |first=Mikael |date=January 3, 2009 |title=Top-10 Most Anticipated Scores of 2009 |publisher=Upcoming Film Scores |url=http://upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.com/2009/01/top-10-most-anticipated-scores-of-2009.html |access-date=January 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117190500/http://upcomingfilmscores.blogspot.com/2009/01/top-10-most-anticipated-scores-of-2009.html |archive-date=January 17, 2009}} During production, Horner promised Cameron that he would not work on any other project except for Avatar and reportedly worked on the score from four in the morning until ten at night throughout the process. He stated in an interview, "Avatar has been the most difficult film I have worked on and the biggest job I have undertaken."{{Cite news |last=Vaughan |first=Owen |date=November 30, 2009 |title=James Horner: 'Scoring Avatar has been the most difficult job I've done' |work=The Times |location=London |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/celebrity/article/james-horner-scoring-avatar-has-been-the-most-difficult-job-ive-done-6xg803khpbv |access-date=February 8, 2010}}{{subscription required|s}} Horner composed the score as two different scores merged into one. He first created a score that reflected the Na'vi way of sound and then combined it with a separate "traditional" score to drive the film.

British singer Leona Lewis was chosen to sing the theme song for the film, called "I See You". An accompanying music video, directed by Jake Nava, premiered December 15, 2009, on MySpace.{{Cite news |last=Fukushima, Glenn |date=November 16, 2009 |title=Atlantic Unveils "AVATAR: MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE"; Official Companion Album to James Cameron's Upcoming Epic Adventure Features Music Composed & Conducted by Oscar-Winner James Horner, Plus "I See You (Theme From Avatar)," Performed by Leona Lewis |publisher=Marketwired |url=http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Atlantic-Records-1076978.html |access-date=November 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221030807/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Atlantic-Records-1076978.html |archive-date=December 21, 2009}}

{{Main|Themes in Avatar|l1=Themes in Avatar}}

Avatar is primarily an action-adventure journey of self-discovery, in the context of imperialism, and deep ecology.{{Cite news |last=Ordoña |first=Michael |date=December 13, 2009 |title=Eye-popping 'Avatar' pioneers new technology |work=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=Hearst Communications Inc. |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Eye-popping-Avatar-pioneers-new-technology-3278484.php |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813200608/http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Eye-popping-Avatar-pioneers-new-technology-3278484.php |archive-date=August 13, 2012}}

Cameron said his inspiration was "every single science fiction book I read as a kid" and that he wanted to update the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter series. He acknowledged that Avatar shares themes with the films At Play in the Fields of the Lord, The Emerald Forest, and Princess Mononoke, which feature clashes between cultures and civilizations, and with Dances with Wolves, where a battered soldier finds himself drawn to the culture he was initially fighting against.{{Cite news |date=August 14, 2009 |title=James Cameron: Yes, 'Avatar' is 'Dances with Wolves' in space ... sorta |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/james-cameron-the-new-trek-rocks-but-transformers-is-gimcrackery/ |access-date=December 21, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701210038/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/james-cameron-the-new-trek-rocks-but-transformers-is-gimcrackery/ |archive-date=July 1, 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Ito |first=Tokuhiro |date=December 25, 2009 |title=新作「アバター」宮崎アニメにオマージュ J・キャメロン監督 (New Film Avatar Homage to Miyazaki's Animated Film: J. Cameron) |url=http://sankei.jp.msn.com/entertainments/entertainers/091225/tnr0912250750004-n2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228082425/http://sankei.jp.msn.com/entertainments/entertainers/091225/tnr0912250750004-n2.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2009 |access-date=March 10, 2010 |website=Sankei Shimbun |language=ja}} He also cited Hayao Miyazaki's anime films such as Princess Mononoke as an influence on the ecosystem of Pandora.

In 2012, Cameron filed a 45-page legal declaration that intended to "describe in great detail the

genesis of the ideas, themes, storylines, and images that came to be Avatar."{{Cite web |last=Acuna |first=Kirsten |date=December 13, 2012 |title=James Cameron Swears He Didn't Rip Off The Idea For 'Avatar' |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/james-camerons-45-page-declaration-proving-avatar-was-his-idea-2012-12?page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121215035214/https://www.businessinsider.com/james-camerons-45-page-declaration-proving-avatar-was-his-idea-2012-12 |archive-date=December 15, 2012 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |website=Business Insider}} In addition to historical events (such as European colonization of the Americas), his life experiences and several of his unproduced projects, Cameron drew connections between Avatar and his previous films. He cited his script and concept art for Xenogenesis, partially produced as a short film, as being the basis for many of the ideas and visual designs in Avatar. He stated that Avatar{{'s}} "concepts of a world mind, intelligence within nature, the idea of projecting force or consciousness using an avatar, colonization of alien planets, greedy corporate interests backed up by military force, the story of a seemingly weaker group prevailing over a technologically superior force, and the good scientist were all established and recurrent themes" from his earlier films including Aliens, The Abyss, Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He specifically mentioned the "water tentacle" in The Abyss as an example of an "avatar" that "takes on the appearance of...an alien life form...in order to bridge the cultural gap and build trust."{{Cite web |last=Gardner |first=Eriq |date=December 10, 2012 |title=Read James Cameron's Sworn Declaration on How He Created 'Avatar' (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/read-james-camerons-sworn-declaration-avatar-399979/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121212182841/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/read-james-camerons-sworn-declaration-avatar-399979 |archive-date=December 12, 2012 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

Cameron also cited a number of works by other creators as "reference points and sources of inspiration" for Avatar. These include two of his "favorite" films, 2001: A Space Odyssey, where mankind experiences an evolution after meeting alien life, and Lawrence of Arabia, where "an outsider...encounters and immerses into a foreign culture and then ultimately joins that group to fight other outsiders." Cameron said he became familiar with the concept of a human operating a "synthetic avatar" inside another world from George Henry Smith's short story "In the Imagicon" and Arthur C. Clarke's novel The City and the Stars. He said he learned of the term "avatar" by reading the cyberpunk novels Neuromancer by William Gibson and Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling. The idea of a "world mind" originated in the novel Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. Cameron mentioned several other films about people interacting with "indigenous cultures" as inspiring him, including Dances with Wolves, The Man Who Would Be King, The Mission, The Emerald Forest, Medicine Man, The Jungle Book and FernGully. He also cited as inspiration the John Carter and Tarzan stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs and other adventure stories by Rudyard Kipling and H. Rider Haggard.

In a 2007 interview with Time magazine, Cameron was asked about the meaning of the term Avatar, to which he replied, "It's an incarnation of one of the Hindu gods taking a flesh form. In this film what that means is that the human technology in the future is capable of injecting a human's intelligence into a remotely located body, a biological body."{{Cite magazine |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca Winters |date=January 11, 2007 |title=Q&A with James Cameron |magazine=Time |url=http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1576622,00.html |access-date=April 27, 2022}} Cameron also cited the Japanese cyberpunk manga and anime Ghost in the Shell, in terms of how humans can remotely control, and transfer their personalities into, alien bodies.{{Cite news |last=Schrodt |first=Paul |date=April 1, 2017 |title=How the original 'Ghost in the Shell' changed sci-fi and the way we think about the future |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/original-ghost-in-the-shell-movie-influence-2017-3 |access-date=June 14, 2019}}{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Steve |date=October 19, 2009 |title=Hollywood is haunted by Ghost in the Shell |work=TheGuardian.com |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/19/hollywood-ghost-in-the-shell |access-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308101232/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/19/hollywood-ghost-in-the-shell |archive-date=March 8, 2013}}

File:Avatarjakeneytiri.jpg

The look of the Na'vi – the humanoids indigenous to Pandora — was inspired by a dream that Cameron's mother had, long before he started work on Avatar. In her dream, she saw a blue-skinned woman 12 feet (4 m) tall, which he thought was "kind of a cool image". Also he said, "I just like blue. It's a good color ... plus, there's a connection to the Hindu deities,In Hinduism, the human manifestations of several deities, including Vishnu, Krishna, and Rama, have blue-colored skin. See Blue:Religion. {{Cite web |last=Wadhwani |first=Sita |date=December 24, 2009 |title=The religious backdrop to James Cameron's 'Avatar' |url=http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/play/avatar-hindu-perspective-961455 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117042700/http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/play/avatar-hindu-perspective-961455 |archive-date=January 17, 2010 |access-date=January 18, 2010 |website=CNNgo |publisher=CNN |df=mdy-all}} which I like conceptually."{{Cite magazine |last=Svetkey |first=Benjamin |date=January 15, 2010 |title='Avatar:' 11 Burning Questions |url=https://ew.com/gallery/avatar-11-burning-questions/ |url-status=live |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117203231/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0%2C%2C20336893%2C00.html |archive-date=January 17, 2010 |access-date=January 16, 2010}} He included similar creatures in his first screenplay (written in 1976 or 1977), which featured a planet with a native population of "gorgeous" tall blue aliens. The Na'vi were based on them.

For the love story between characters Jake and Neytiri, Cameron applied a star-crossed love theme, which he said was in the tradition of Romeo and Juliet. He acknowledged its similarity to the pairing of Jack and Rose from his film Titanic. An interviewer stated: "Both couples come from radically different cultures that are contemptuous of their relationship and are forced to choose sides between the competing communities."{{Cite web |last=Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz |date=January 7, 2010 |title=James Cameron Compares His 'Avatar' And 'Titanic' Couples. The director notes the similarities between Sully and Neytiri, and Jack and Rose |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1629226/james-cameron-compares-his-avatar-and-titanic-couples/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206013516/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1629226/story.jhtml |archive-date=February 6, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |publisher=MTV}} Cameron described Neytiri as his "Pocahontas", saying that his plotline followed the historical story of a "white outsider [who] falls in love with the chief's daughter, who becomes his guide to the tribe and to their special bond with nature." Cameron felt that whether or not the Jake and Neytiri love story would be perceived as believable partially hinged on the physical attractiveness of Neytiri's alien appearance, which was developed by considering her appeal to the all-male crew of artists.{{Cite web |last=Woerner |first=Meredith |date=July 24, 2009 |title=James Cameron Fought the Studio to Keep His Aliens Weird in "Avatar" |url=https://gizmodo.com/james-cameron-fought-the-studio-to-keep-his-aliens-weir-5322486 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212061535/http://io9.com/5322486/james-cameron-fought-the-studio-to-keep-his-aliens-weird-in-avatar |archive-date=February 12, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Gizmodo}} Although Cameron felt Jake and Neytiri do not fall in love right away, their portrayers (Worthington and Saldana) felt the characters did. Cameron said the two actors "had a great chemistry" during filming.

File:Huangshan pic 4.jpg mountains (pictured).{{Cite web |date=December 24, 2009 |title=James Cameron en Chine pour faire la publicité de son film Avatar |url=http://french.peopledaily.com.cn/Culture/6851396.html |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=peopledaily |language=fr}}]]

File:1 tianzishan wulingyuan zhangjiajie 2012.jpg

For the film's floating "Hallelujah Mountains", the designers drew inspiration from "many different types of mountains, but mainly the karst limestone formations in China." According to production designer Dylan Cole, the fictional floating rocks were inspired by Huangshan (also known as Yellow Mountain), Guilin, Zhangjiajie, among others around the world.{{Cite web |last=Anders |first=Charlie Jane |date=January 14, 2010 |title=Avatar's Designers Speak: Floating Mountains, AMP Suits And The Dragon |url=https://gizmodo.com/avatars-designers-speak-floating-mountains-amp-suits-5444960 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Gizmodo}} Cameron had noted the influence of the Chinese peaks on the design of the floating mountains.{{Cite web |last=Kontis |first=Nick |date=December 17, 2019 |title=Zhangjiajie, China: Get hyped for 'Avatar 2' by visiting the place that inspired the film |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2019/12/17/zhangjiajie-china-experience-mountains-inspired-avatar/2663739001/ |access-date=September 10, 2020 |website=USA Today}}

To create the interiors of the human mining colony on Pandora, production designers visited the Noble Clyde Boudreaux{{Cite web |title=Noble Clyde Boudreaux – Rig Specifications |url=http://www.noblecorp.com/Fleet/RigDetail.asp?RigAbbrev_CH=NCB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130205313/http://www.noblecorp.com/Fleet/RigDetail.asp?RigAbbrev_CH=NCB |archive-date=January 30, 2012 |access-date=January 31, 2010 |publisher=Noble Corporation}} oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico during June 2007. They photographed, measured and filmed every aspect of the platform, which was later replicated on-screen with photorealistic CGI during post-production.{{Cite news |date=January 12, 2008 |title=Avatar Designs Based on Drilling Rig |newspaper=Comingsoon.net - Movie Trailers, Tv & Streaming News, and More |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/40855-avatar-designs-based-on-drilling-rig |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605085745/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/avatarnews.php?id=40855 |archive-date=June 5, 2008 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |publisher=ComingSoon.net |author1=Pbadmin}}

Cameron said that he wanted to make "something that has this spoonful of sugar of all the action and the adventure and all that" but also have a conscience "that maybe in the enjoying of it makes you think a little bit about the way you interact with nature and your fellow man". He added that "the Na'vi represent something that is our higher selves, or our aspirational selves, what we would like to think we are" and that even though there are good humans within the film, the humans "represent what we know to be the parts of ourselves that are trashing our world and maybe condemning ourselves to a grim future".{{Cite news |date=August 18, 2009 |title='Avatar Friday': fans will be shown preview of James Cameron's 3-D film |work=The Daily Telegraph |agency=Associated Press |location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6047137/Avatar-Friday-fans-will-be-shown-preview-of-James-Camerons-3-D-film.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326135042/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/6047137/Avatar-Friday-fans-will-be-shown-preview-of-James-Camerons-3-D-film.html |archive-date=March 26, 2010}}

Cameron acknowledges that Avatar implicitly criticizes the United States' role in the Iraq War and the impersonal nature of mechanized warfare in general. In reference to the use of the term "shock and awe" in the film, Cameron said: "We know what it feels like to launch the missiles. We don't know what it feels like for them to land on our home soil, not in America." He said in later interviews, "... I think it's very patriotic to question a system that needs to be corralled ..."{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=John |date=December 10, 2009 |title=Alternate World, Alternate Technology |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/movies/13avatar.html |access-date=December 11, 2009}} and, "The film is definitely not anti-American."{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Mekado |date=December 21, 2009 |title=A Few Questions for James Cameron |work=The New York Times |url=http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/a-few-questions-for-james-cameron/ |url-status=live |access-date=January 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225190515/http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/a-few-questions-for-james-cameron/ |archive-date=December 25, 2009}}

A scene in the film portrays the violent destruction of the towering Na'vi Hometree, which collapses in flames after a missile attack, coating the landscape with ash and floating embers. Asked about the scene's resemblance to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Cameron said he had been "surprised at how much it did look like September 11".{{Cite news |last=Hoyle |first=Ben |date=December 11, 2009 |title=War on Terror backdrop to James Cameron's Avatar |work=The Australian |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/film/war-on-terror-backdrop-to-james-camerons-avatar/news-story/9b5d2c1e310122f7370aac135194419e |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117172414/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/film/war-on-terror-backdrop-to-james-camerons-avatar/news-story/9b5d2c1e310122f7370aac135194419e |archive-date=January 17, 2018}}

In July 2024, Cameron stated the film "resembled the Manhattan Project... making up new physics as we went along. Mastering a brand new methodology to tell stories." Cameron also acknowledged that it was actually film co-producer Jon Landau who was "the heart of the Avatar family."

File:JamesCameronCCJuly09.jpg|alt=James Cameron at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con promoting Avatar.]]

The first photo of the film was released on August 14, 2009,{{Cite web |last=Raup |first=Jordan |date=August 14, 2009 |title=First Official Photo For James Cameron's 'Avatar' |url=http://thefilmstage.com/2009/08/14/first-official-photo-for-james-camerons-avatar/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101185601/http://thefilmstage.com/2009/08/14/first-official-photo-for-james-camerons-avatar/ |archive-date=November 1, 2009 |access-date=September 19, 2009 |publisher=Thefilmstage.com}} and Empire released exclusive images from the film in its October issue.{{Cite web |date=August 25, 2009 |title=New Empire Avatar Cover! |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/new-empire-avatar-cover/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106075637/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=25654 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Empire}} Cameron, producer Jon Landau, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, and Sigourney Weaver appeared at a panel, moderated by Tom Rothman, at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con on July 23. Twenty-five minutes of footage was screened{{Cite news |last=Rettig |first=Kristina |date=July 23, 2009 |title=James Cameron previews 'Avatar' |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/news/james-cameron-previews-avatar-1118006435/ |access-date=July 26, 2009}} in Dolby 3D.{{Cite news |last=Gershman |first=Joshua |date=July 23, 2009 |title=Dolby 3D is the Official 3D Provider for Comic-Con International 2009 |work=Business Wire |publisher=Dolby |url=http://investor.dolby.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=398557 |access-date=July 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710143601/https://investor.dolby.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=398557 |archive-date=July 10, 2011}}

Weaver and Cameron appeared at additional panels to promote the film, speaking on the 23rd{{Cite web |last=Finke |first=Nikki |date=July 23, 2009 |title=2009 Comic-Con: Jim Cameron's 'Avatar' |url=https://deadline.com/2009/07/2009-comic-con-jim-camerons-avatar-10242/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924062405/https://deadline.com/2009/07/2009-comic-con-jim-camerons-avatar-10242/ |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |access-date=July 24, 2009 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} and 24th{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Sandy |date=July 24, 2009 |title=James Cameron wows Comic Con with 3-D 'Avatar' |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-us-comic-con-avatar-072409-2009jul24-story.html |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=The San Diego Union-Tribune}}{{Cite web |last=Balchak |first=Brian |date=July 24, 2009 |title=SDCC 2009: Watch the James Cameron's Avatar Comic-Con Panel! |url=https://movieweb.com/sdcc-2009-watch-the-james-camerons-avatar-comic-con-panel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027145320/https://movieweb.com/sdcc-2009-watch-the-james-camerons-avatar-comic-con-panel/ |archive-date=October 27, 2020 |access-date=July 25, 2009 |publisher=MovieWeb}} respectively. James Cameron announced at the Comic-Con Avatar panel that August 21 will be "Avatar Day". On this day, the trailer was released in all theatrical formats. The official game trailer and toy line of the film were also unveiled on this day.{{Cite news |last=Darren |date=July 23, 2009 |title=Official 'Avatar Day' Press Release |publisher=SciFiScoop.com |url=http://www.scifiscoop.com/news/official-avatar-day-press-release/ |url-status=live |access-date=July 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102031710/http://www.scifiscoop.com/news/official-avatar-day-press-release/ |archive-date=January 2, 2010}}

The 129-second trailer was released online on August 20, 2009.{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Cindy |date=August 23, 2009 |title='Avatar' preview dazzles audiences |work=USA Today |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-08-23-avatar-preview_N.htm |url-status=live |access-date=December 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210191320/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-08-23-avatar-preview_N.htm |archive-date=December 10, 2012}}

The new 210-second trailer was premiered in theaters on October 23, 2009, then soon after premiered online on Yahoo! on October 29, 2009, to positive reviews.{{Cite web |last=Michael Bodey |date=August 27, 2009 |title=Titanic director James Cameron grabs film's holy grail in new film Avatar |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/titanic-director-james-cameron-grabs-films-holy-grail-in-new-film-avatar/story-e6frg8pf-1225766563195 |access-date=December 6, 2009 |publisher=The Australian}}{{Cite web |last=Pomerantz |first=Dorothy |date=October 3, 2009 |title=Stars gear up for a risky season in Hollywood |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/stars-gear-up-for-a-risky-season-in-hollywood-1.439856 |access-date=December 6, 2009 |publisher=CTV Television Network}}

An extended version in IMAX 3D received overwhelmingly positive reviews. The Hollywood Reporter said that audience expectations were colored by "the [same] establishment skepticism that preceded Titanic" and suggested the showing reflected the desire for original storytelling.{{Cite news |last=Kilday |first=Gregg |date=August 24, 2009 |title=A chip off the ol' iceberg? |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/chip-ol-iceberg-88024/ |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428052409/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/chip-ol-iceberg-88024/ |archive-date=April 28, 2022}} The teaser has been among the most viewed trailers in the history of film marketing, reaching the first place of all trailers viewed on Apple.com with 4 million views.{{Cite web |last=Paur |first=Joey |date=August 24, 2009 |title=AVATAR Movie Teaser is the Most Viewed Trailer Ever on Apple.com |url=https://geektyrant.com/news/2009/8/24/avatar-movie-teaser-is-the-most-viewed-trailer-ever-on-apple.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721103136/http://geektyrant.com/news/2009/8/24/avatar-movie-teaser-is-the-most-viewed-trailer-ever-on-apple.html |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |access-date=December 6, 2009 |publisher=GeekTyrant}}

On October 30, to celebrate the opening of the first 3-D cinema in Vietnam, Fox allowed Megastar Cinema to screen exclusive 16 minutes of Avatar to a number of press.{{Cite news |last1=Nga |first1=Pham Thu |last2=Kha |first2=Trong |date=November 13, 2009 |title=Through a glass starkly |work=Thanh Nien News |url=http://www.thanhniennews.com/entertainments/?catid=6&newsid=53639 |access-date=January 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100105233823/http://www.thanhniennews.com/entertainments/?catid=6&newsid=53639 |archive-date=January 5, 2010}} The three-and-a-half-minute trailer of the film premiered live on November 1, 2009, during a Dallas Cowboys football game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on the Diamond Vision screen, one of the world's largest video displays, and to TV audiences viewing the game on Fox. It is said to be the largest live motion picture trailer viewing in history.{{Cite news |date=October 29, 2009 |title=AVATAR Trailer Gets World's Largest Live Trailer Viewing on November 1 |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS214196+29-Oct-2009+BW20091029 |access-date=December 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102101410/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS214196%2B29-Oct-2009%2BBW20091029 |archive-date=November 2, 2009}}

The Coca-Cola Company collaborated with Fox to launch a worldwide marketing campaign to promote the film. The highlight of the campaign was the website AVTR.com. Specially marked bottles and cans of Coca-Cola Zero, when held in front of a webcam, enabled users to interact with the website's 3-D features using augmented reality (AR) technology.{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2009 |title=Coca-Cola Zero Immerses in the World of 'Avatar' |url=http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-story-coca_cola_zero_immerses_itself_in_the_world_of___8216_avatar__8217_-26327.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927173938/http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-story-coca_cola_zero_immerses_itself_in_the_world_of___8216_avatar__8217_-26327.html |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=January 19, 2010 |website=Progressive Grocer}} The film was heavily promoted in an episode of the Fox series Bones in the episode "The Gamer In The Grease" (Season 5, Episode 9). Avatar star Joel David Moore has a recurring role on the program, and is seen in the episode anxiously awaiting the release of the film.{{Cite news |last=Kung |first=Michelle |date=December 3, 2009 |title="Avatar" Advertising Invades "Bones" Episode "The Gamer in the Grease" |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-SEB-16022 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324182515/https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/12/03/avatar-advertising-invades-bones-episode/?guid=BL-SEB-16022&dsk=y |archive-date=March 24, 2020}} A week prior to the American release, Zoe Saldana promoted the film on Adult Swim, when she was interviewed by an animated Space Ghost.{{Cite web |last=Kapko |first=Matt |date=December 7, 2009 |title=Adult Swim's Space Ghost to Interview Avatar's Zoë Saldana |url=https://www.awn.com/news/adult-swims-space-ghost-interview-avatars-zo-saldana |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224180912/https://www.awn.com/news/adult-swims-space-ghost-interview-avatars-zo-saldana |archive-date=February 24, 2014 |access-date=February 18, 2010 |website=Adult Swim |publisher=Animation World Network}} McDonald's had a promotion mentioned in television commercials in Europe called "Avatarize yourself", which encouraged people to go to the website set up by Oddcast, and use a photograph of themselves to change into a Na'vi.{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=Stuart |date=February 8, 2010 |title=This Campaign Is Wet (and Wild) |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/business/media/08adnewsletter1.html |access-date=February 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211044057/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/business/media/08adnewsletter1.html |archive-date=February 11, 2010}}

Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, a 224-page book in the form of a field guide to the film's fictional setting of the planet of Pandora, was released by Harper Entertainment on November 24, 2009.Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora. {{ISBN|978-0-06-189675-0}}

It is presented as a compilation of data collected by the humans about Pandora and the life on it, written by Maria Wilhelm and Dirk Mathison. HarperFestival also released Wilhelm's 48-page James Cameron's Avatar: The Reusable Scrapbook for children.James Cameron's Avatar: The Movie Scrapbook. {{ISBN|978-0-06-180124-2}} The Art of Avatar was released on November 30, 2009, by Abrams Books. The book features detailed production artwork from the film, including production sketches, illustrations by Lisa Fitzpatrick, and film stills. Producer Jon Landau wrote the foreword, Cameron wrote the epilogue, and director Peter Jackson wrote the preface.The Art of Avatar: James Cameron's Epic Adventure. {{ISBN|978-0-8109-8286-4}} In October 2010, Abrams Books also released The Making of Avatar, a 272-page book that detailed the film's production process and contains over 500 color photographs and illustrations.The Making of Avatar. {{ISBN|0-8109-9706-1}}

In a 2009 interview, Cameron said that he planned to write a novel version of Avatar after the film was released.{{Cite news |last=Germain |first=David |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Avatar creator Cameron shares alien shop talk |work=San Diego Union-Tribune |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-avatar-creator-cameron-shares-alien-shop-talk-2009dec21-story.html |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225015031/http://www.theinsider.com/news/3126001__Avatar_creator_Cameron_shares_alien_shop_talk |archive-date=February 25, 2010}} In February 2010, producer Jon Landau stated that Cameron plans a prequel novel for Avatar that will "lead up to telling the story of the movie, but it would go into much more depth about all the stories that we didn't have time to deal with", saying that "Jim wants to write a novel that is a big, epic story that fills in a lot of things".{{Cite news |last=Carroll |first=Larry |date=February 12, 2010 |title=James Cameron Writing 'Avatar' Prequel – But Not For The Big Screen |publisher=MTV |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1631859/james-cameron-writing-avatar-prequel-but-not-for-the-big-screen/ |url-status=dead |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325164218/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1631859/story.jhtml |archive-date=March 25, 2010}} In August 2013, it was announced that Cameron hired Steven Gould to pen four standalone novels to expand the Avatar universe.{{Cite web |last=Lewis |first=Andy |date=August 22, 2013 |title=James Cameron Spins Off 'Avatar' Book Series |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/james-cameron-spins-avatar-book-612326/ |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

{{Main|Avatar: The Game|l1=Avatar: The Game|Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora|l2=Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora}}

Cameron chose Ubisoft Montreal to create an Avatar game for the film in 2007. The filmmakers and game developers collaborated heavily, and Cameron decided to include some of Ubisoft's vehicle and creature designs in the film.{{Cite news |last=Woerner |first=Meredith |date=June 2, 2009 |title=James Cameron's Na'vi Banshees Take Flight In The Avatar Video Game |work=Gizmodo |url=https://gizmodo.com/james-camerons-na-vi-banshees-take-flight-in-the-avatar-5275122 |url-status=live |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605153409/http://io9.com/5275122/james-camerons-navi-banshees-take-flight-in-the-avatar-video-game |archive-date=June 5, 2009}} Avatar: The Game was released on December 1, 2009,{{Cite news |date=December 12, 2009 |title='Avatar' in four different formats |work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/avatar-in-four-different-formats-5512269.html |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215192626/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/avatar-in-four-different-formats-1839073.html |archive-date=December 15, 2009}} for most home video game consoles (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, iPhone) and Microsoft Windows, and December 8 for PlayStation Portable. A second game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, was released on December 7, 2023.

Mattel Toys announced in December 2009 that it would be introducing a line of Avatar action figures.{{Cite news |last=Roberts |first=Katie |date=December 11, 2009 |title=Fox Licensing unveils Avatar licensing programme |work=Licensing.biz |url=http://www.licensing.biz/news/read/fox-licensing-unveils-avatar-licensing-programme/033906 |access-date=December 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930082849/https://www.licensing.biz/news/read/fox-licensing-unveils-avatar-licensing-programme/033906 |archive-date=September 30, 2013}}{{Cite news |date=February 13, 2009 |title=Mattel is Master Toy Licensee for Cameron's Avatar |work=ComingSoon.net |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/52860-mattel-is-master-toy-licensee-for-camerons-avatar |url-status=live |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214210133/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=52860 |archive-date=February 14, 2009}} Each action figure will be made with a 3-D web tag, called an i-TAG, that consumers can scan using a web cam, revealing unique on-screen content that is exclusive to each specific action figure. A series of toys representing six different characters from the film were also distributed globally in McDonald's Happy Meals.{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2009 |title=McDonald's Brings Customers to Another Planet in Partnership With James Cameron's Movie Masterpiece 'AVATAR' |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonalds-brings-customers-to-another-planet-in-partnership-with-james-camerons-movie-masterpiece-avatar-78966417.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213160240/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonalds-brings-customers-to-another-planet-in-partnership-with-james-camerons-movie-masterpiece-avatar-78966417.html |archive-date=December 13, 2009 |access-date=August 23, 2015 |website=McDonald's Press Release via PR Newswire}}

In December 2009, France Post released a special limited edition stamp based on Avatar, coinciding with the film's worldwide release.{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Garima |date=February 17, 2010 |title=Stamp-ed! |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/people/Stamp-ed/articleshow/5538582.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811052045/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-17/people/28128977_1_postage-stamps-postal-stamps-commemorative-stamps |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |access-date=February 17, 2010 |website=The Times of India |url-status=live |location=India}}

Avatar premiered in London on December 10, 2009, and was released theatrically worldwide from December 16 to 18.{{Cite web |title=Avatar International Release Dates |url=http://microsites2.foxinternational.com/ww/avatar/release_dates.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005092155/http://microsites2.foxinternational.com/ww/avatar/release_dates.html |archive-date=October 5, 2009 |access-date=October 31, 2009 |publisher=Fox International}} The film was originally set for release on May 22, 2009, during filming,{{Cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |date=July 13, 2007 |title=Hollywood films' dating game |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/news/hollywood-films-dating-game-1117968535/ |access-date=July 17, 2007}} but was pushed back to allow more post-production time — the last shots were delivered in November — and give more time for theaters worldwide to install 3D projectors.{{Cite web |last1=McClintock |first1=Pamela |last2=Fleming |first2=Michael |date=December 11, 2007 |title=Fox shifts Avatar, Museum |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/fox-shifts-avatar-museum-1117977544/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115014723/https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/fox-shifts-avatar-museum-1117977544/ |archive-date=January 15, 2016 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Variety}} Cameron stated that the film's aspect ratio would be 1.78:1 for 3D screenings and that a 2.39:1 image would be extracted for 2D screenings.{{Cite news |date=May 29, 2009 |title=James Cameron Q & A Podcast from Aliens / The Abyss Event! |work=MarketSaw |url=http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/05/james-cameron-q-podcast-from-aliens.html |access-date=June 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612225509/http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2009/05/james-cameron-q-podcast-from-aliens.html |archive-date=June 12, 2009}}{{Cite news |date=May 30, 2009 |title=James Cameron Q & A at Aero Theatre 05–29–09 (Audio) |work=MarketSaw |url=https://archive.org/details/JamesCameronAtAeroTheatre05-29-09 |access-date=June 2, 2009}} However, a 3D 2.39:1 extract was approved for use with constant-image-height screens, i.e., screens that increase in width to display 2.39:1 films.{{Cite web |last=Connelly |first=Brendon |date=May 31, 2009 |title=3D Avatar Vs. 2D Avatar, And The Importance Of Aspect Ratios |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/503959/3d-avatar-vs-2d-avatar-and-the-importance-of-aspect-ratios/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=/Film}} During a 3D preview showing in Germany on December 16, the movie's DRM "protection" system malfunctioned, and some copies delivered weren't watched at all in the theaters. The problems were fixed in time for the public premiere.{{Cite web |date=December 17, 2009 |title=DRM chaos prevents 3D preview of Avatar |url=http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/DRM-Chaos-verhindert-3D-Vorpremieren-von-Avatar-2-Update-888309.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220001156/https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/DRM-Chaos-verhindert-3D-Vorpremieren-von-Avatar-2-Update-888309.html |archive-date=December 20, 2009 |access-date=February 5, 2015 |publisher=heise.de}}

Avatar was released in a total of 3,457 theaters in the United States, of which 2,032 theaters showed it in 3D. In total, 90% of all advance ticket sales for Avatar were for 3D screenings.{{Cite web |last=Gwin |first=Scott |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Over 350 Avatar Screenings Already Sold Out |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Over-350-Avatar-Screenings-Already-Sold-Out-16198.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220052548/https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Over-350-Avatar-Screenings-Already-Sold-Out-16198.html |archive-date=December 20, 2009 |access-date=December 20, 2009 |website=CinemaBlend}} Internationally, Avatar opened on a total of 14,604 screens in 106 territories, of which 3,671 were showing the film in 3D, producing 56% of the first weekend gross.{{Cite web |last=Segers |first=Frank |date=December 20, 2009 |title='Avatar' dominates int'l boxoffice |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/avatar-dominates-intl-boxoffice-92522/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114023204/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ia0d444a2a4b3e35aeacb98430b6004f5 |archive-date=January 14, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Jeremy |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Avatar is king of the world with $165.2m overseas launch |url=https://www.screendaily.com/distribution/avatar-is-king-of-the-world-with-1652m-overseas-launch/5009219.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120085404/https://www.screendaily.com/distribution/avatar-is-king-of-the-world-with-1652m-overseas-launch/5009219.article |archive-date=November 20, 2017 |access-date=December 20, 2009 |publisher=ScreenDaily}} The film was simultaneously presented in IMAX 3D format, opening in 178 theaters in the United States on December 18. The international IMAX release included 58 theaters beginning on December 16, and 25 more theaters were to be added in the coming weeks.{{Cite news |date=December 21, 2009 |title=James Cameron's Avatar Posts Record Opening Weekend Box Office Results in IMAX(R) Theatres |publisher=Yahoo! |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/James-Camerons-Avatar-Posts-pz-1148917843.html?x=0&.v=1 |access-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117140004/http://finance.yahoo.com/news/James-Camerons-Avatar-Posts-pz-1148917843.html?x=0&.v=1 |archive-date=January 17, 2010}} The IMAX release was the company's widest to date, a total of 261 theaters worldwide. The previous IMAX record opening was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which opened in 161 IMAX theaters in the US, and about 70 international.{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2009 |title=ScreenCrave: Avatar Breaks IMAX's Wide Release Record |url=http://blog.bigmoviezone.com/?p=5080 |access-date=December 14, 2009 |website=Bigmoviezone.com |archive-date=March 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315153533/http://blog.bigmoviezone.com/?p=5080 |url-status=usurped}} 20th Century Fox Korea adapted and later released Avatar in 4D version, which included "moving seats, smells of explosives, sprinkling water, laser lights and wind".{{Cite news |last=Sunhee |first=Han |date=February 5, 2010 |title='Avatar' goes 4D in Korea |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2010/more/news/avatar-goes-4d-in-korea-1118014803/ |url-status=live |access-date=April 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210010141/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014803.html |archive-date=February 10, 2010}}

In July 2010, Cameron confirmed that there would be an extended theatrical rerelease of the film on August 27, 2010, exclusively in 3D theaters and IMAX 3D.{{Cite news |last1=Kilday |first1=Greg |last2=DiOrio |first2=Carl |date=July 8, 2010 |title='Avatar: Special Edition' 3D coming to theaters |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ic639ed027f3e13c96ebd549d904cb41a |access-date=July 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711000041/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ic639ed027f3e13c96ebd549d904cb41a |archive-date=July 11, 2010}} Avatar: Special Edition includes an additional nine minutes of footage, all of which is CG,{{Cite web |last=Dorey |first=Jim |date=August 7, 2010 |title=EXCLUSIVE: James Cameron Interview! Talks AVATAR Re-release, Sequels, 3D Conversions & Working With Del Toro! |url=http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2010/08/exclusive-james-cameron-interview-talks.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815192755/http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2010/08/exclusive-james-cameron-interview-talks.html |archive-date=August 15, 2010 |access-date=August 14, 2010 |website=marketsaw.blogspot.com |publisher=MarketSaw}} including an extension of the sex scene{{Cite web |last=Warner |first=Kara |date=August 11, 2010 |title='Avatar' Director James Cameron Talks 'Alien Kink Scene' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1645575/20100811/story.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814132449/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1645575/20100811/story.jhtml |archive-date=August 14, 2010 |access-date=August 14, 2010 |publisher=MTV}} and various other scenes that were cut from the original theatrical film. This extended re-release resulted in the film's run time approaching the then-current IMAX platter maximum of 170 minutes, thereby leaving less time for the end credits. Cameron stated that the nine minutes of added scenes cost more than $1 million a minute to produce and finish.{{Cite web |last=Wigney |first=James |date=August 15, 2010 |title=Avatar director slams bandwagon jumpers |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/avatar-director-slams-bandwagon-jumpers/story-e6frf96f-1225905342936 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615021522/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/avatar-director-slams-bandwagon-jumpers/story-e6frf96f-1225905342936 |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |access-date=August 16, 2010 |website=Herald Sun |location=Australia}} During its 12-week re-release, Avatar: Special Edition grossed an additional $10.74 million in North America and $22.46 million overseas for a worldwide total of $33.2 million. The film was later re-released in China in March 2021, allowing it to surpass Avengers: Endgame to become the highest-grossing film of all time.

Avatar was rereleased in theaters on September 23, 2022, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for a limited two-week engagement, with the film being remastered in 4K high-dynamic range, with select scenes at a high frame rate of 48 fps.{{Cite news |last=Giardina |first=Carolyn |date=September 29, 2022 |title=How James Cameron and Jon Landau Remastered 'Avatar' for Its Rerelease |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/avatar-re-release-how-james-cameron-2009-movie-1235225147/ |access-date=September 23, 2022}} The reissue was prior to the December 2022 premiere of its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water.{{Cite web |last=Giardina |first=Carolyn |date=April 27, 2022 |title='Avatar 2' Footage Astonishes Audience at CinemaCon |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-2-footage-preview-cinemacon-1235135720/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}} Prior to this, Cameron previously teased a re-release of the film back in 2017 when promoting the Dolby Cinema re-release of Titanic, stating that there were plans in the works to remaster the film with Dolby Vision and re-release it in Dolby Cinema.{{Cite magazine |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca |date=November 26, 2017 |title=James Cameron on Titanic's Legacy, the Avatar Sequels' Progress, and the Impact of a Fox Studio Sale |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/james-cameron-titanic-20th-anniversary-avatar-terminator-fox-studios-sale |magazine=Vanity Fair |access-date=April 27, 2022 |quote=Obviously the [new] Avatar films will be [in Dolby Vision] as well, and in fact, we're also going to do a conversion of Avatar to HDR. We'll re-release that at some point down the line; I want to try to help this rollout of the Dolby cinemas, because I think it's fantastic what they're doing.}}

{{Anchor|DVD|Video}}

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released the film on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on April 22, 2010,{{Cite news |last=Weintraub |first=Steve |date=March 16, 2010 |title=Avatar DVD/Blu-ray Arrives April 22 – Cover Art and Info Here |publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts |url=https://collider.com/avatar-dvd-blu-ray-arrives-april-22-cover-art-and-info-here/ |access-date=September 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126022802/https://collider.com/avatar-dvd-blu-ray-arrives-april-22-cover-art-and-info-here/ |archive-date=November 26, 2013}} and in the United Kingdom on April 26.{{Cite web |title=James Cameron's Avatar: Combi Pack (Blu-ray & DVD) (2009) (Blu-ray) |url=http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/11089484/James-Cameron-Avatar-Combi-Pack/Product.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322193109/http://www.play.com/DVD/Blu-ray/4-/11089484/James-Cameron-Avatar-Combi-Pack/Product.html |archive-date=March 22, 2010 |access-date=May 25, 2010 |publisher=Play.com}} The United States release was not on a Tuesday as is the norm, but was done to coincide with Earth Day.{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2010 |title=Avatar Earth Day RELEASE: James Cameron Film Comes Out On DVD, Inspires 'Home Tree' Earth Day 2010 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/avatar-earth-day-release_n_546984.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427144836/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/21/avatar-earth-day-release_n_546984.html |archive-date=April 27, 2010 |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=The Huffington Post}} The first DVD and Blu-ray release does not contain any supplemental features other than the theatrical film and the disc menu in favor of and to make space for optimal picture and sound. The release also preserves the film's 1.78:1 (16:9) format over the 2.39:1 (21:9) scope version, as Cameron felt that was the best format to watch the film.{{Cite news |last=Calonge |first=Juan |date=March 25, 2010 |title=Makers of Avatar Unveil Blu-ray Launch (Update) |publisher=Blu-ray.com |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4338 |url-status=live |access-date=March 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414021705/http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=4338 |archive-date=April 14, 2010}} The Blu-ray disc contains DRM (BD+ 5) which some Blu-ray players might not support without a firmware update.{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Mike |date=April 30, 2010 |title=Some 'Avatar' Fans Struggle With Blu-Ray |work=Yahoo! Movies |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-avatar-blu-ray-consumers-cant-watch-DVD.html |access-date=April 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503023059/https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-avatar-blu-ray-consumers-cant-watch-DVD.html |archive-date=May 3, 2010}}{{Cite news |last=Biggs |first=John |date=April 23, 2010 |title=This is why early adopting sucks: Avatar doesn't play on some Samsung BR players |work=CrunchGear |url=http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/04/23/this-is-why-early-adopting-sucks-avatar-doesnt-play-on-some-samsung-br-players/ |access-date=April 30, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426125839/http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/04/23/this-is-why-early-adopting-sucks-avatar-doesnt-play-on-some-samsung-br-players/ |archive-date=April 26, 2010}}

Avatar set a first-day launch record in the United States for Blu-ray sales at 1.5 million units sold, breaking the record previously held by The Dark Knight (600,000 units sold). First-day DVD and Blu-ray sales combined were over four million units sold.{{Cite news |last1=Boucher |first1=Geoff |last2=Johnson |first2=Reed |date=April 23, 2010 |title='Avatar' shatters sales records – and inspires an armed heist in Mexico City |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/04/avatar-shatters-sales-records-and-inspires-armed-heist-in-mexico-city.html |access-date=April 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425024220/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/04/avatar-shatters-sales-records-and-inspires-armed-heist-in-mexico-city.html |archive-date=April 25, 2010}} In its first four days of release, sales of Avatar on Blu-ray reached 2.7 million in the United States and Canada – overtaking The Dark Knight to become the best ever selling Blu-ray release in the region.{{Cite news |last=Fritz |first=Ben |date=April 25, 2010 |title='Avatar' is already the bestselling Blu-ray ever |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/04/avatar-is-already-the-bestselling-bluray-ever.html |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608125101/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/04/avatar-is-already-the-bestselling-bluray-ever.html |archive-date=June 8, 2010}}{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Mike |date=April 26, 2010 |title=Movie Talk: James Cameron, King of DVD sales |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-james-cameron-king-of-DVD-sales.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505071615/https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-james-cameron-king-of-DVD-sales.html |archive-date=May 5, 2010 |access-date=May 25, 2010 |publisher=Yahoo! Movies}} The release later broke the Blu-ray sales record in the United Kingdom the following week.{{Cite news |date=April 28, 2010 |title=Avatar breaks UK Blu-ray sales record |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8648272.stm |url-status=live |access-date=May 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501135606/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8648272.stm |archive-date=May 1, 2010}} In its first three weeks of release, the film sold a total of 19.7 million DVD and Blu-ray discs combined, a new record for sales in that period.{{Cite news |last=Dobuzinskis |first=Alex |date=May 11, 2010 |title="Avatar" fastest selling DVD after three weeks |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/film-avatar/avatar-fastest-selling-dvd-after-three-weeks-idUSN1115235620100512 |access-date=May 25, 2010}} As of July 18, 2012, DVD sales (not including Blu-ray) totaled over 10.5 million units sold with {{Nowrap|$190,806,055}} in revenue.{{Cite web |title=Avatar (2009) |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Avatar |access-date=February 15, 2021 |website=The Numbers |publisher=Nash Information Services}} Avatar retained its record as the top-selling Blu-ray in the US market until January 2015, when it was surpassed by Disney's Frozen.{{Cite web |title=All-Time Best-Selling Blu-ray Titles in the United States |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/alltime-bluray-sales-chart |access-date=January 25, 2015 |website=The Numbers |publisher=Nash Information Services}}

The Avatar three-disc Extended Collector's Edition on DVD and Blu-ray was released on November 16, 2010. Three different versions of the film are present on the discs: the original theatrical cut (162 minutes), the special edition cut (170 minutes), and a collector's extended cut (178 minutes). The DVD set spreads the film across two discs, while the Blu-ray set presents it on a single disc.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Ryan |date=October 7, 2010 |title=Avatar three-disc extended collectors set due in November |url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/avatar-three-disc-extended-collectors-set-due-in-november/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314021652/https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/avatar-three-disc-extended-collectors-set-due-in-november/ |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |access-date=October 11, 2010 |publisher=Digital Trends}} The collector's extended cut contains eight more minutes of footage, thus making it 16 minutes longer than the original theatrical cut. Cameron mentioned, "you can sit down, and in a continuous screening of the film, watch it with the Earth opening". He stated the "Earth opening" is an additional {{Fraction|4|1|2}} minutes of scenes that were in the film for much of its production but were ultimately cut before the film's theatrical release.{{Cite web |last=Russell |first=Mike |date=August 26, 2010 |title=Interview with James Cameron on 'Avatar' re-release, BP oil spill — and much more |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2010/08/interview_with_james_cameron_o.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100829070530/http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2010/08/interview_with_james_cameron_o.html |archive-date=August 29, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=The Oregonian}} The release also includes an additional 45 minutes of deleted scenes and other extras.

Cameron initially stated that Avatar would be released in 3D around November 2010, but the studio issued a correction: "3-D is in the conceptual stage and Avatar will not be out on 3D Blu-ray in November."{{Cite web |date=February 19, 2010 |title=Update: Cameron Talks Avatar Blu-ray/DVD Releases and Sequel |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63460 |access-date=May 25, 2010 |publisher=Comingsoon.net |archive-date=February 22, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222082713/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63460 |url-status=dead}} In May 2010, Fox stated that the 3D version would be released some time in 2011. It was later revealed that Fox had given Panasonic an exclusive license for the 3D Blu-ray version and only with the purchase of a Panasonic 3DTV. The length of Panasonic's exclusivity period is stated to last until February 2012.{{Cite web |last=Trenholm |first=Rich |date=November 1, 2010 |title=Avatar gets 3D Blu-ray release, comes with free Panasonic 3DTV |work=CNET UK |url=http://crave.cnet.co.uk/televisions/avatar-gets-3d-blu-ray-release-comes-with-free-panasonic-3dtv-50001361/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104040307/http://crave.cnet.co.uk/televisions/avatar-gets-3d-blu-ray-release-comes-with-free-panasonic-3dtv-50001361/ |archive-date=November 4, 2010 |access-date=November 12, 2010 |publisher=CNET UK}} In October 2010 Cameron stated that the standalone 3D Blu-ray would be the final version of the film's home release and that it was "maybe one, two years out".{{Cite web |last=Calonge |first=Juan |date=October 21, 2010 |title=Cameron: Avatar CE Blu-ray Is Last Version – Save for 3D |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5330 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101026004133/http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5330 |archive-date=October 26, 2010 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |publisher=Blu-ray.com}} On Christmas Eve 2010, Avatar had its 3D television world premiere on Sky.{{Cite web |last=Laughlin |first=Andrew |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Sky to give 'Avatar' 3D world premiere |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/news/a290793/sky-to-give-avatar-3d-world-premiere.html |access-date=December 21, 2010 |website=Digital Spy}}{{Cite web |last=Lamkin |first=Paul |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Avatar 3DTV world premiere on Sky 3D |url=http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/37063/avatar-3dtv-premiere-sky-3d |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231045103/http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/37063/avatar-3dtv-premiere-sky-3d |archive-date=December 31, 2010 |access-date=December 21, 2010 |publisher=Pocket-lint.com}}{{Cite web |last=Jani |first=David |date=December 1, 2010 |title=Sky Secures Avatar 3D TV World Premier |url=http://www.itproportal.com/2010/12/01/sky-secures-avatar-3d-tv-world-premier/ |access-date=December 21, 2010 |website=Itproportal.com |publisher=IT Pro Portal}}

On August 13, 2012, Cameron announced on Facebook that Avatar would be released globally on Blu-ray 3D.{{Cite web |date=August 15, 2012 |title=Avatar on Blu-ray 3D |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofCaw30o_oo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211115/ofCaw30o_oo |archive-date=November 15, 2021 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |publisher=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} The Blu-ray 3D version was finally released on October 16, 2012.{{Cite web |title=Avatar 3D Blu-ray: Limited 3D Edition |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Avatar-3D-Blu-ray/26954/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316185948/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Avatar-3D-Blu-ray/26954/ |archive-date=March 16, 2017 |access-date=November 8, 2012 |publisher=Blu-ray.com}}

On February 2, 2024, the film became available to stream in variable high frame rate in 3D 4K Dolby Vision on the Disney+ app for the Apple Vision Pro.{{Cite web |title=Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro Ushers in a New Era of Storytelling Innovation and Immersive Entertainment |url=https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disney-plus-on-apple-vision-pro-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-storytelling-innovation-and-immersive-entertainment |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Disney Plus Press |language=en}}

{{Anchor|Critics}}

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 81% of 334 reviews are positive, and the average rating is 7.5/10. The site's consensus reads: "It might be more impressive on a technical level than as a piece of storytelling, but Avatar reaffirms James Cameron's singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking."{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=avatar |type=m |title=Avatar |access-date={{Rotten Tomatoes data|access date}} |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231002453/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar/ |archive-date=December 31, 2010 |url-status=live}}{{Rotten Tomatoes data|edit}} On Metacritic—which assigns a weighted mean score—the film has a score of 83 out of 100 based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite Metacritic |id=avatar |type=movie |access-date=February 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117054403/http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/avatar |archive-date=January 17, 2010 |url-status=live}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. Every demographic surveyed was reported to give this rating. These polls also indicated that the main draw of the film was its use of 3D.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Neil |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Avatar Opens to Big Returns, But Staying Power is the Key |url=https://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/avatar-opens-to-big-returns-but-staying-power-is-the-key.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209071153/http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/avatar-opens-to-big-returns-but-staying-power-is-the-key.php |archive-date=February 9, 2010 |access-date=January 29, 2010 |website=FilmSchoolRejects.com |publisher=CraveOnline}}

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film "extraordinary", and gave it four stars out of four. "Watching Avatar, I felt sort of the same as when I saw Star Wars in 1977," he said, adding that like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the film "employs a new generation of special effects" and it "is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough. It has a flat-out Green and anti-war message".{{Cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=December 11, 2009 |title=Avatar |work=Chicago Sun-Times |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091211/REVIEWS/912119998 |access-date=December 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213125500/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20091211%2FREVIEWS%2F912119998 |archive-date=December 13, 2009}}

A. O. Scott of At The Movies also compared his viewing of the film to the first time he viewed Star Wars and he said "although the script is a little bit ... obvious," it was "part of what made it work".{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Avatar – Movie Reviews |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar/reviews?type=top_critics |access-date=December 22, 2009 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media}}{{Cite web |last=Aravind |first=Ajay |date=July 24, 2021 |title=10 Movies That Are All Style & No Substance |url=https://www.cbr.com/movies-good-style-action-no-substance/ |access-date=July 25, 2021 |publisher=Comic Book Resources}} Todd McCarthy of Variety praised the film, saying: "The King of the World sets his sights on creating another world entirely in Avatar, and it's very much a place worth visiting."{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Todd |author-link=Todd McCarthy |date=December 10, 2009 |title=Avatar |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/avatar-2-1200477897/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416040704/https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/avatar-2-1200477897/ |archive-date=April 16, 2015 |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Variety}} Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review. "The screen is alive with more action and the soundtrack pops with more robust music than any dozen sci-fi shoot-'em-ups you care to mention," he stated.{{Cite web |last=Honeycutt |first=Kirk |date=December 10, 2009 |title=Avatar- Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/avatar-film-review-1004052868.story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213202403/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film-reviews/avatar-film-review-1004052868.story |archive-date=December 13, 2009 |access-date=December 13, 2009 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}} Peter Travers of Rolling Stone awarded Avatar a three-and-a-half out of four star rating, and wrote in his print review: "It extends the possibilities of what movies can do. Cameron's talent may just be as big as his dreams."{{Cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |date=December 14, 2009 |title=Avatar: review |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/18256153/review/31347207/avatar |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323170404/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/18256153/review/31347207/avatar |archive-date=March 23, 2010 |access-date=January 3, 2010}} Richard Corliss of Time thought that the film was "the most vivid and convincing creation of a fantasy world ever seen in the history of moving pictures."{{Cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=December 14, 2009 |title=Corliss Appraises Avatar: A World of Wonder |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1947438,00.html |access-date=January 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217090923/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0%2C8599%2C1947438%2C00.html?iid=tsmodule |archive-date=December 17, 2009}} Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times thought the film has "powerful" visual accomplishments but "flat dialogue" and "obvious characterization".{{Cite news |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Movie Review: 'Avatar' |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-avatar17-2009dec17,0,7823079.story |url-status=live |access-date=December 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220052238/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-avatar17-2009dec17%2C0%2C7823079.story |archive-date=December 20, 2009}} James Berardinelli of ReelViews praised the film and its story, giving it four out of four stars. He wrote: "In 3-D, it's immersive — but the traditional film elements — story, character, editing, theme, emotional resonance, etc. — are presented with sufficient expertise to make even the 2-D version an engrossing {{Fraction|2|1|2}}-hour experience."{{Cite web |last=Berardinelli |first=James |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Avatar |url=http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=1931 |access-date=January 3, 2010 |publisher=Reelviews.net}}

Avatar{{'}}s underlying social and political themes attracted attention. Armond White of the New York Press wrote that Cameron used "villainous American characters" to "misrepresent facets of militarism, capitalism, and imperialism".{{Cite web |last=White |first=Armond |date=December 15, 2009 |title=Blue in the Face |url=http://www.nypress.com/article-20710-blue-in-the-face.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217161318/http://www.nypress.com/article-20710-blue-in-the-face.html |archive-date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=December 15, 2009 |website=New York Press}}See also last paragraph of the above section Avatar Themes and inspirations. Russell D. Moore of The Christian Post concluded that "propaganda exists in the film" and stated "If you can get a theater full of people in Kentucky to stand and applaud the defeat of their country in war, then you've got some amazing special effects."{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Russell D. |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Avatar: Rambo in Reverse |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/avatar-rambo-in-reverse-42362/ |access-date=December 21, 2009 |website=The Christian Post}} Adam Cohen of The New York Times was more positive about the film, calling its anti-imperialist message "a 22nd-century version of the American colonists vs. the British, India vs. the Raj, or Latin America vs. United Fruit".{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Adam |date=December 25, 2009 |title=Next-Generation 3-D Medium of 'Avatar' Underscores Its Message |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/opinion/26sat4.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025050418/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/26/opinion/26sat4.html |archive-date=October 25, 2015}} Ross Douthat of The New York Times opined that the film is "Cameron's long apologia for pantheism [...] Hollywood's religion of choice for a generation now",{{Cite news |last=Douthat |first=Ross |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Heaven and Nature |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/opinion/21douthat1.html |access-date=December 21, 2009}} while Saritha Prabhu of The Tennessean called the film a "misportrayal of pantheism and Eastern spirituality in general",{{Cite web |last=Prabhu |first=Saritha |date=January 22, 2010 |title=Movie storyline echoes historical record |url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100122/COLUMNIST0108/1220308/1008/OPINION01 |access-date=February 7, 2010 |website=The Tennessean |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521000000/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100122/COLUMNIST0108/1220308/1008/OPINION01 |archive-date=21 May 2010}} [https://archive.org/details/TheTennesseanMovieStorylineEchoesHistoricalRecord Alt URL] and Maxim Osipov of The Hindustan Times, on the contrary, commended the film's message for its overall consistency with the teachings of Hinduism in the Bhagavad Gita.{{Cite web |last=Osipov |first=Maxim |date=December 27, 2009 |title=What on Pandora does culture or civilisation stand for? |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/cinema-news/sid411.aspx/What-on-Pandora-does-culture-or-civilisation-stand-for/Article1-491066.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203204840/http://www.hindustantimes.com/cinema-news/sid411.aspx/What-on-Pandora-does-culture-or-civilisation-stand-for/Article1-491066.aspx |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |access-date=February 25, 2011 |website=Hindustan Times |location=India}} Annalee Newitz of io9 concluded that Avatar is another film that has the recurring "fantasy about race" whereby "some white guy" becomes the "most awesome" member of a non-white culture.{{Cite web |last=Newitz |first=Annalee |date=December 18, 2009 |title=When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like "Avatar"? |url=http://io9.com/5422666/when-will-white-people-stop-making-movies-like-avatar |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230180018/http://io9.com/5422666/when-will-white-people-stop-making-movies-like-avatar |archive-date=December 30, 2009 |access-date=December 27, 2009 |website=io9 |publisher=Gizmodo}} Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune called Avatar "the season's ideological Rorschach blot",{{Cite web |last=Phillips, Michael |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Why is 'Avatar' a film of 'Titanic' proportions? |url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/talking_pictures/2010/01/why-is-avatar-a-film-of-titanic-proportions.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109212247/http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/talking_pictures/2010/01/why-is-avatar-a-film-of-titanic-proportions.html |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |access-date=January 10, 2010 |website=Chicago Tribune}} while Miranda Devine of The Sydney Morning Herald thought that "It [was] impossible to watch Avatar without being banged over the head with the director's ideological hammer."{{Cite news |last=Devine |first=Miranda |date=January 2, 2010 |title=Hit by the leftie sledgehammer |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/hit-by-the-leftie-sledgehammer-20100101-llpp.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100409123720/http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/hit-by-the-leftie-sledgehammer-20100101-llpp.html |archive-date=April 9, 2010}} Nidesh Lawtoo believed that an essential, yet less visible social theme that contributed to Avatar{{'}}s success concerns contemporary fascinations with virtual avatars and "the transition from the world of reality to that of virtual reality".{{Cite journal |last=Lawtoo |first=Nidesh |date=March 2015 |title=Avatar Simulation in 3Ts: Techne, Trance, Transformation |journal=Science Fiction Studies |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=132–150 |doi=10.5621/sciefictstud.42.1.0132 |jstor=10.5621/sciefictstud.42.1.0132 |issn=0091-7729}}

Critics and audiences have cited similarities with other films, literature or media, describing the perceived connections in ways ranging from simple "borrowing" to outright plagiarism. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe called it "the same movie" as Dances with Wolves.{{Cite news |last=Burr |first=Ty |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Avatar |work=Boston.com |url=https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/12/17/avatar_is_an_out_of_body_experience/?page=2 |access-date=December 23, 2009}} Like Dances with Wolves, Avatar has been characterized as being a "white savior" movie, in which a "backwards" native people is impotent without the leadership of a member of the invading white culture.{{Cite news |last=Barnard |first=Linda |date=January 11, 2010 |title=Is Avatar weighted down by white man's burden? |work=Toronto Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2010/01/12/is_avatar_weighed_down_by_white_mans_burden.html |access-date=October 21, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020172629/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2010/01/12/is_avatar_weighed_down_by_white_mans_burden.html |archive-date=October 20, 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Sirota |first=David |author-link=David Sirota |date=February 21, 2013 |title=Oscar loves a white savior |url=https://www.salon.com/2013/02/21/oscar_loves_a_white_savior/ |access-date=July 4, 2013 |website=Salon}} Parallels to the concept and use of an avatar are in Poul Anderson's 1957 novelette "Call Me Joe", in which a paralyzed man uses his mind from orbit to control an artificial body on Jupiter.{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Lauren |date=October 26, 2009 |title=Did James Cameron Rip Off Poul Anderson's Novella? |work=io9 |publisher=Gizmodo |url=https://gizmodo.com/did-james-cameron-rip-off-poul-andersons-novella-5390226 |access-date=October 26, 2009}}{{Cite web |last=Westfahl |first=Gary |author-link=Gary Westfahl |date=December 20, 2009 |title=All Energy Is Borrowed: A Review of Avatar |url=http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2009/12/all-energy-is-borrowed-review-of-avatar.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107212027/http://www.locusmag.com/Reviews/2009/12/all-energy-is-borrowed-review-of-avatar.html |archive-date=January 7, 2010 |access-date=December 29, 2009 |website=Locus Online |publisher=Locus Publications}} Cinema audiences in Russia have noted that Avatar has elements in common with the 1960s Noon Universe novels by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, which are set in the 22nd century on a forested world called Pandora with a sentient indigenous species called the Nave.{{Cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |date=January 13, 2010 |title=James Cameron rejects claims Avatar epic borrows from Russians' sci-fi novels |work=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jan/13/james-cameron-avatar-plagarism-claim |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116104120/http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jan/13/james-cameron-avatar-plagarism-claim |archive-date=January 16, 2010}} Various reviews have compared Avatar to the films FernGully: The Last Rainforest,{{Cite news |last=Schwartzberg |first=Joel |date=December 29, 2009 |title=What Did 'Avatar' Borrow from 'FernGully'? |publisher=IVillage |url=http://www.ivillage.com/what-did-avatar-borrow-ferngully/1-a-71746 |access-date=January 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224103609/http://www.ivillage.com/what-did-avatar-borrow-ferngully/1-a-71746 |archive-date=February 24, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Quinn |first=Karl |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Don't just watch Avatar, see it |work=The Age |location=Australia |url=http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/blogs/the-vulture/dont-just-watch-avatar-see-it-20091216-kx47.html |access-date=January 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116121555/https://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/blogs/the-vulture/dont-just-watch-avatar-see-it-20091216-kx47.html |archive-date=January 16, 2014}} Pocahontas{{Cite web |last=Bill |date=June 8, 2009 |title=Avatar to Follow a Pocahontas Narrative |url=http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/3537/avatar-to-follow-a-pocahontas-narrative |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091212015456/http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/3537/avatar-to-follow-a-pocahontas-narrative |archive-date=December 12, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2009 |publisher=Reelz}} and The Last Samurai.{{Cite web |last=Heaven |first=Will |date=December 24, 2009 |title=Avatar: James Cameron deserves the Worst Lefty Award 2009 |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100020706/avatar-james-cameron-deserves-the-worst-lefty-award-2009/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226222731/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/willheaven/100020706/avatar-james-cameron-deserves-the-worst-lefty-award-2009/ |archive-date=December 26, 2009 |website=The Daily Telegraph |format=Blog |location=UK}} NPR's Morning Edition has compared the film to a montage of tropes, with one commentator stating that Avatar was made by "mixing a bunch of film scripts in a blender".{{Cite web |last1=Ulaby |first1=Neda |author-link=Neda Ulaby |last2=Chace |first2=Zoe |date=January 6, 2010 |title='Avatar' And Ke$ha: A Denominator In Common? |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122261912 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114015718/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122261912 |archive-date=January 14, 2010 |access-date=January 6, 2010 |publisher=NPR Morning Edition}} Gary Westfahl wrote that "the science fiction story that most closely resembles Avatar has to be Ursula Le Guin's novella The Word for World Is Forest (1972), another epic about a benevolent race of alien beings who happily inhabit dense forests while living in harmony with nature until they are attacked and slaughtered by invading human soldiers who believe that the only good gook is a dead gook". The science fiction writer and editor Gardner Dozois said that along with the Anderson and Le Guin stories, the "mash-up" included Alan Dean Foster's 1975 novel, Midworld.{{Cite book |last=Dozois |first=Gardner |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780312608989 |title=The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Seventh Annual Collection |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-312-60898-9 |page=xxxv |chapter=Summation: 2009 |author-link=Gardner Dozois |access-date=January 18, 2013 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nHAot4SFzlUC&pg=PR35}} Some sources saw similarities to the artwork of Roger Dean, which features fantastic images of dragons and floating rock formations.{{Cite web |last=Anders |first=Charlie Jane |date=December 14, 2009 |title=Did Prog Rock's Greatest Artist Inspire Avatar? All Signs Point To Yes |url=http://io9.com/5426120/did-prog-rocks-greatest-artist-inspire-avatar-all-signs-point-to-yes/ |access-date=December 14, 2009 |website=io9 |publisher=Gizmodo}}{{Cite web |last=Handy |first=Bruce |date=October 30, 2009 |title=Avatar's Unexpected Influences: Psychedelic Cover Art, Disney, and... Furries? |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/10/avatars-unexpected-influences-psychedelic-cover-art-disney-and-furries |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114024921/http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2009/10/avatars-unexpected-influences-psychedelic-cover-art-disney-and-furries |archive-date=January 14, 2012 |website=Vanity Fair}} In 2013, Dean sued Cameron and Fox, claiming that Pandora was inspired by 14 of his images. Dean sought damages of $50m.{{Cite news |date=June 30, 2013 |title=James Cameron sued by artist Roger Dean over Avatar |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23117197 |access-date=June 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406043049/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-23117197 |archive-date=April 6, 2015}} Dean's case was dismissed in 2014, and The Hollywood Reporter noted that Cameron had won multiple Avatar idea theft cases.{{Cite news |last=Couch |first=Aaron |date=September 17, 2014 |title=James Cameron Wins 'Avatar' Idea Theft Lawsuit Against Artist |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/james-cameron-wins-avatar-idea-733904/ |access-date=September 17, 2014}}

Avatar received compliments from filmmakers, with Steven Spielberg praising it as "the most evocative and amazing science-fiction movie since Star Wars" and others calling it "audacious and awe inspiring", "master class", and "brilliant". Noted art director-turned-filmmaker Roger Christian is also a noted fan of the film.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Martin |date=March 21, 2012 |title=Roger Christian talks zombies, Prometheus & Battlefield Earth |url=http://www.shadowlocked.com/201203212466/opinion-features/roger-christian-talks-zombies-prometheus-battlefield-earth.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714164223/http://www.shadowlocked.com/201203212466/opinion-features/roger-christian-talks-zombies-prometheus-battlefield-earth.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |website=Shadowlocked.com}} On the other hand, Duncan Jones said: "It's not in my top three James Cameron films. ... [A]t what point in the film did you have any doubt what was going to happen next?".{{Cite web |last=Sciretta |first=Peter |date=December 21, 2009 |title=The Buzz: Filmmakers react to Avatar |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/21/the-buzz-filmmakers-react-to-avatar/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125172013/http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/12/21/the-buzz-filmmakers-react-to-avatar/ |archive-date=January 25, 2010 |access-date=December 30, 2009 |website=/Film}} For French filmmaker Luc Besson, Avatar opened the doors for him to now create an adaptation of the graphic novel series Valérian and Laureline that technologically supports the scope of its source material, with Besson even throwing his original script in the trash and redoing it after seeing the film.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=July 17, 2017 |title=Luc Besson Lays It On The Line For Passion Pic 'Valerian' |url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/valerian-luc-besson-dane-dehaan-cara-delevingne-rihanna-stx-europacorp-disruptors-interview-news-1202092174/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720050530/https://deadline.com/2017/07/valerian-luc-besson-dane-dehaan-cara-delevingne-rihanna-stx-europacorp-disruptors-interview-news-1202092174/ |archive-date=July 20, 2017 |access-date=June 22, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood |publisher=Penske Business Media, LLC |url-status=live |quote=I thought the script was kind of good a few years ago, and I was ready to start the financing. Then, Avatar arrived. The good news was that, technically, I could see that we can do everything now. The film proved that imagination is the only limit. The bad news is, I threw my script in the garbage, literally, when I came back from the screening.}} TIME ranked Avatar number 3 in their list of "The 10 Greatest Movies of the Millennium (Thus Far)"{{Cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=May 17, 2012 |title=The 10 Greatest Movies of the Millennium (Thus Far) |magazine=Time |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2012/05/17/top-10-movies-of-the-millennium/#avatar-2009-u-s |access-date=May 21, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120517191122/https://entertainment.time.com/2012/05/17/top-10-movies-of-the-millennium/#the-artist-2011 |archive-date=May 17, 2012}} also earning it a spot on the magazine's All-Time 100 list,{{Cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=May 17, 2012 |title=Rethinking the Movie Masterpieces: Richard Corliss Expands TIME's List of Cinematic Greats |url=https://entertainment.time.com/2012/05/17/movie-masterpieces-richard-corliss-expands-times-list-of-cinematic-greats/slide/avatar/ |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525071108/https://entertainment.time.com/2012/05/17/movie-masterpieces-richard-corliss-expands-times-list-of-cinematic-greats/slide/avatar/#avatar |archive-date=May 25, 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=May 21, 2012}} and IGN listed Avatar as number 22 on their list of the top 25 Sci-Fi movies of all time.{{Cite web |last1=Pirrello |first1=Phil |last2=Collura |first2=Scott |last3=Schedeen |first3=Jesse |date=September 14, 2010 |title=Top 25 Sci-Fi Movies of All Time |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/677/677739p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204000706/http://movies.ign.com/articles/677/677739p1.html |archive-date=December 4, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2010 |website=IGN}}

{{Main|List of box office records set by Avatar|l1=List of box office records set by Avatar}}

Avatar was released internationally on more than 14,000 screens.{{Cite news |date=September 25, 2011 |title=Bollywood film-makers vie for larger screen pie |work=The Economic Times |location=India |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/bollywood-film-makers-vie-for-larger-screen-pie/articleshow/10112557.cms |access-date=April 28, 2022}} It grossed $3,537,000 from midnight screenings in the United States and Canada, with the initial 3D release limited to 2,200 screens.{{Cite web |date=December 18, 2009 |title=Avatar Scores $3.5 Million at Midnight Screenings, Big Opening Day in Australia |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/news/162840830-Avatar-Scores-3-5-Million-at-Midnight-Screenings-Big-Opening-Day-in-Australia |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=The Numbers}} The film grossed $26,752,099 on its opening day, and $77,025,481 over its opening weekend, making it the second-largest December opening ever behind I Am Legend, the largest domestic opening weekend for a film not based on a franchise (topping The Incredibles), the highest opening weekend for a film entirely in 3D (breaking Up{{'}}s record),{{Cite web |title=3D Movies Opening Weekends |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=openings&id=3d.htm&p=.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713194951/https://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=openings&id=3d.htm&p=.htm |archive-date=July 13, 2014 |access-date=July 21, 2014 |publisher=Box Office Mojo}} the highest opening weekend for an environmentalist film (breaking The Day After Tomorrow{{'}}s record),{{Cite web |title=Environmentalist Movies Opening Weekends |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=openings&id=environment.htm&p=.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228105554/https://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?view=openings&id=environment.htm |archive-date=December 28, 2009 |access-date=March 4, 2012 |website=Box Office Mojo}} and the 40th-largest opening weekend in North America, despite a blizzard that blanketed the East Coast of the United States and reportedly hurt its opening weekend results. The film also set an IMAX opening weekend record, with 178 theaters generating approximately $9.5 million, 12% of the film's $77 million (at the time) North American gross on less than 3% of the screens.

International markets generating opening weekend tallies of at least $10 million were for Russia ($19.7 million), France ($17.4 million), the UK ($13.8 million), Germany ($13.3 million), South Korea ($11.7 million), Australia ($11.5 million), and Spain ($11.0 million). Avatar{{'}}s worldwide gross was US$241.6 million after five days, the ninth largest opening-weekend gross of all time, and the largest for a non-franchise, non-sequel and original film.{{Cite web |title=Opening Weekends |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_opening_weekend/?area=XWW |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623165250/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/worldwideopenings.htm |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} 58 international IMAX screens generated an estimated $4.1 million during the opening weekend.

Revenues in the film's second weekend decreased by only 1.8% in domestic markets, marking a rare occurrence, grossing $75,617,183, to remain in first place at the box office{{Cite web |title=Weekend Box Office Results for December 25–27, 2009 |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2009W52/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101041245/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2009&wknd=52&p=.htm |archive-date=January 1, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} and recording what was then the biggest second weekend of all time.{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 2nd Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_release_gross_nth_weekend/?by_interval=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091202155351/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=2&p=.htm |archive-date=December 2, 2009 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} The film experienced another marginal decrease in revenue in its third weekend, dropping 9.4% to $68,490,688 domestically, remaining in first place at the box office,{{Cite web |title=Weekend Box Office Results for January 1–3, 2010 |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2010&wknd=01&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118182541/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2010&wknd=01&p=.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2010 |access-date=January 3, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} to set a third-weekend record.{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 3rd Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=3&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108064228/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=3&p=.htm |archive-date=January 8, 2010 |access-date=January 11, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}}

Avatar crossed the $1 billion mark on the 19th day of its international release, making it the first film to reach this mark in only 19 days.{{Cite web |date=January 5, 2010 |title=Avatar fastest film to break $1 billion mark |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/avatar-fastest-film-to-break-1-billion-mark/story-SqoxFVOpCJcHIcW4539EiK.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605022429/http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/cinema/Avatar-fastest-film-to-break-1-billion-mark/Article1-494182.aspx |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Hindustan Times |location=India}} It became the fifth film grossing more than $1 billion worldwide, and the only film of 2009 to do so.{{Cite web |title=2009 Worldwide Grosses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2009&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102015401/http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2009&p=.htm |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |access-date=January 3, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} In its fourth weekend, Avatar continued to lead the box office domestically, setting a new all-time fourth-weekend record of $50,306,217,{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 4th Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=4&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109113654/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=4&p=.htm |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |access-date=January 12, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} and becoming the highest-grossing 2009 release in the United States, beating Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Andria |date=January 10, 2010 |title=Avatar becomes top-grossing U.S. film released in 2009 |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/avatar-top-grossing-us-film-released-in-2009-2010-01-10 |access-date=January 10, 2010 |website=MarketWatch}} In the film's fifth weekend, it set the Martin Luther King Day weekend record, grossing $54,401,446,{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies for Martin Lurther King Holiday Weekends |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/mlk.htm?page=MLK&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121140658/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/mlk.htm?page=MLK&p=.htm |archive-date=January 21, 2010 |access-date=January 19, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} and set a fifth-weekend record with a take of $42,785,612.{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 5th Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=5&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118081941/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=5&p=.htm |archive-date=January 18, 2010 |access-date=January 19, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} It held the top spot to set the sixth and seventh weekend records grossing $34,944,081{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 6th Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=6&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203151732/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=6&p=.htm |archive-date=February 3, 2010 |access-date=February 1, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} and $31,280,029{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Movies in Their 7th Weekend at the Box Office |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/chart/top_release_gross_nth_weekend/?by_interval=7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203152548/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/moreweekends.htm?page=7&p=.htm |archive-date=February 3, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} respectively. It was the fastest film to gross $600 million domestically, on its 47th day in theaters.{{Cite news |last=Subers |first=Ray |date=June 26, 2012 |title='The Avengers' Hits $600 Million |work=Box Office Mojo |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed1769800708/ |access-date=June 27, 2012}}

On January 31 it became the first film to gross over $2 billion worldwide,{{Cite news |last=Deprez |first=Esme E. |date=January 31, 2010 |title='Avatar' Tops Box Office, Passes $2 Billion Worldwide (Update1) |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-01-31/-avatar-tops-box-office-passes-2-billion-worldwide |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412104036/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-31/-avatar-tops-box-office-passes-2-billion-worldwide-update1-.html |archive-date=April 12, 2010}} and it became the first film to gross over $700 million in the United States and Canada, on February 27, after 72 days of release.{{Cite web |title=Avatar (2009) – Daily Box Office Results |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl876971521/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815012255/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=avatar.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} It remained at number one at the domestic box office for seven consecutive weeks – the most consecutive No. 1 weekends since Titanic spent 15 weekends at No.1 in 1997 and 1998{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=January 19, 2010 |title=Weekend Report: 'Avatar' Reigns with Record MLK Gross |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2977563652/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121143911/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2646&p=.htm |archive-date=January 21, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} – and also spent 11 consecutive weekends at the top of the box office outside the United States and Canada, breaking the record of nine consecutive weekends set by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=March 1, 2010 |title=Weekend Report: 'Shutter Island' Hangs On, 'Cop Out,' 'Crazies' Debut Decently |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2625242116/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410193112/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2683&p=.htm |archive-date=April 10, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} By the end of its first theatrical release Avatar had grossed $749,766,139 in the U.S. and Canada, and ${{formatnum:1999298189}} in other territories, for a worldwide total of ${{formatnum:2749064328}}.

Including the revenue from a re-release of Avatar featuring extended footage, Avatar grossed $785,221,649 in the U.S. and Canada, and $2,137,696,265 in other countries for a worldwide total of $2,922,917,914. Avatar has set a number of box office records during its release: on January 25, 2010, it surpassed Titanic{{'}}s worldwide gross to become the highest-grossing film of all time worldwide 41 days after its international release,{{Cite news |last=Cieply |first=Michael |date=January 26, 2010 |title=He Doth Surpass Himself: 'Avatar' Outperforms 'Titanic' |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/awardsseason/27record.html |url-status=live |access-date=January 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128030323/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/awardsseason/27record.html |archive-date=January 28, 2010}}{{Cite news |last=Segers |first=Frank |date=January 25, 2010 |title='Avatar' breaks 'Titanic' worldwide record |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/avatar-breaks-titanic-worldwide-record-19914 |access-date=December 4, 2010}}{{Cite web |title=All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102060745/http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |access-date=January 3, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}} just two days after taking the foreign box office record.{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=February 3, 2010 |title='Avatar' Claims Highest Gross of All Time |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2356806660/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207134301/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2667&p=l.htm |archive-date=February 7, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}} On February 2, 47 days after its domestic release, Avatar surpassed Titanic to become the highest-grossing film of all time in Canada and the United States.{{Cite news |date=February 4, 2010 |title='Avatar' passes 'Titanic' in domestic earnings |publisher=Today.com |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/avatar-passes-titanic-domestic-earnings-1C9398750 |access-date=March 2, 2010}} It became the highest-grossing film of all time in at least 30 other countries{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=January 26, 2010 |title='Avatar' Is New King of the World |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2256143364/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130142014/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2657&p=.htm |archive-date=January 30, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}}{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=February 8, 2010 |title=Weekend Report: 'Dear John' Delivers, 'Avatar' Flies High Again |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2306475012/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501184250/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2306475012/ |archive-date=May 1, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}}{{Cite web |last=Gray |first=Brandon |date=February 21, 2010 |title=Weekend Report: 'Shutter Island' Lights Up |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed2642019332/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100224220453/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2682&p=.htm |archive-date=February 24, 2010 |access-date=April 28, 2022 |website=Box Office Mojo}}{{Cite web |last=Foley |first=Jack |title=Avatar beats Mamma Mia's UK box office record |url=http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/avatar-beats-mamma-mia-s-uk-box-office-record |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505180217/http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Film-Review/avatar-beats-mamma-mia-s-uk-box-office-record |archive-date=May 5, 2012 |access-date=April 29, 2012 |website=Indie London}}{{Cite web |last=Hutton |first=Michelle |date=February 28, 2010 |title=AVATAR Becomes Biggest Blockbuster Ever in Korea |url=http://www.altfg.com/blog/box-office/avatar-biggest-blockbuster-korea-43432/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100302205030/http://www.altfg.com/blog/box-office/avatar-biggest-blockbuster-korea-43432/ |archive-date=March 2, 2010 |access-date=February 28, 2010 |website=altfg.com |publisher=Alt Film Guide}}{{Cite web |author-link=Irish Film and Television Network |date=March 2, 2010 |title='Avatar' Sinks 'Titanic' To Take Irish Box Office Crown |url=http://www.iftn.ie/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4282897&tpl=archnewshome |access-date=March 8, 2010 |publisher=Irish Film and Television Network}} and is the first film to gross over $2 billion in foreign box office receipts.{{Cite web |title=Top Lifetime Grosses |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128023144/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/ |archive-date=January 28, 2010 |access-date=January 27, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo}}

IMAX ticket sales account for $243.3 million of its worldwide gross,{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=January 3, 2016 |title='Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Shattering Imax Records |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/star-wars-the-force-awakens-imax-records-1201670785/ |access-date=January 4, 2016 |website=Variety}} more than double the previous record.{{Cite magazine |last=Corliss |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Corliss |date=January 11, 2010 |title=Another Avatar Weekend: Pandorans Defeat Vampires |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1952794,00.html |access-date=January 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112070608/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0%2C8599%2C1952794%2C00.html |archive-date=January 12, 2010}} By 2022, this figure rose to $268.6 million.{{Cite news |last=Tartaglione |first=Nancy |date=October 2, 2022 |title='Smile' Giddy With $37M Global Bow, China Returns At $60M Local 'Home Coming'; Keep A Bag Packed For 'Ticket To Paradise' – International Box Office |website=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/smile-ponniyin-ticket-to-paradise-home-coming-avatar-dont-worry-darling-china-global-international-box-office-1235133051/ |access-date=October 3, 2022}}

Box Office Mojo estimates that after adjusting for the rise in average ticket prices, Avatar would be the 14th-highest-grossing film of all time in North America.{{Cite web |title=All Time Box Office Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm?adjust_yr=2010&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516164044/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm?adjust_yr=2010&p=.htm |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |access-date=May 2, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |quote=Adjusted to the estimated 2010 average ticket price of $7.95.}} Box Office Mojo also observes that the higher ticket prices for 3D and IMAX screenings have had a significant impact on Avatar{{'}}s gross; it estimated, on April 21, 2010, that Avatar had sold approximately 75 million tickets in North American theaters, more than any other film since 1999's Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.{{Cite web |last=Subers |first=Ray |date=April 21, 2010 |title='Avatar' Strikes DVD |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2728&p=.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425011118/http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2728&p=.htm |archive-date=April 25, 2010 |access-date=April 21, 2010 |website=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb}} On a worldwide basis, when Avatar{{'}}s gross stood at $2 billion just 35 days into its run, The Daily Telegraph estimated its gross was surpassed by only Gone with the Wind ($3.0 billion), Titanic ($2.9 billion), and Star Wars ($2.2 billion) after adjusting for inflation to 2010 prices,{{Cite web |last=Shone |first=Tom |date=February 3, 2010 |title=Oscars 2010: How James Cameron took on the world |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/7144424/Oscars-2010-How-James-Cameron-took-on-the-world.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/7144424/Oscars-2010-How-James-Cameron-took-on-the-world.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |access-date=October 20, 2010 |website=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK}}{{cbignore}} with Avatar ultimately winding up with $2.92 billion after subsequent re-releases. Reuters even placed it ahead of Titanic after adjusting the global total for inflation.{{Cite web |last=Segers |first=Frank |date=February 22, 2010 |title="Avatar" top film overseas for 10th weekend |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boxoffice-overseas-idUSTRE61L0XF20100222 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119062743/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/02/22/us-boxoffice-overseas-idUSTRE61L0XF20100222 |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |access-date=February 25, 2010 |website=Reuters}} The 2015 edition of Guinness World Records lists Avatar only behind Gone with the Wind in terms of adjusted grosses worldwide.{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-908843-70-8 |edition=2015 |volume=60 |pages=160–161 |publisher=Guinness World Records}}{{Cite book |publisher=Astrel |year=2011 |isbn=978-5-271-36423-5 |editor-last=Glenday |editor-first=Craig |edition=2012 |location=Moscow |page=211 |language=ru |translator-last=Andrianov |translator-first=P.I. |script-title=ru:Гиннесс. Мировые рекорды |trans-title=Guinness World Records |translator-last2=Palova |translator-first2=I.V.}}

Before its release, various film critics and fan communities predicted the film would be a significant disappointment at the box office, in line with predictions made for Cameron's previous blockbuster Titanic.{{Cite web |last=Levin |first=Josh |date=December 10, 2009 |title=Here Come the Cats With Human Boobs. Is Avatar destined to flop? |url=https://slate.com/culture/2009/12/is-avatar-destined-to-flop.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217131408/http://www.slate.com/id/2238079/ |archive-date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=Slate}}{{Cite news |last=Carroll |first=Jason |date=November 23, 2009 |title='King of the world' James Cameron returns with 'Avatar' |publisher=CNN |url=https://am.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/23/king-of-the-world-james-cameron-returns-with-avatar/ |url-status=dead |access-date=December 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926184912/https://am.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/23/king-of-the-world-james-cameron-returns-with-avatar/ |archive-date=September 26, 2020}}{{Cite web |last=Gwin |first=Scott |date=December 21, 2009 |title=Why Avatar's Headed For Blockbuster Mediocrity |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Avatar-s-Headed-For-Blockbuster-Mediocrity-16244.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222095249/https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Why-Avatar-s-Headed-For-Blockbuster-Mediocrity-16244.html |archive-date=December 22, 2009 |access-date=March 30, 2012 |website=CinemaBlend}} This criticism ranged from Avatar{{'}}s film budget, to its concept and use of 3-D "blue cat people". Slate magazine's Daniel Engber complimented the 3D effects but criticized them for reminding him of certain CGI characters from the Star Wars prequel films and for having the "uncanny valley" effect.{{Cite web |last=Engber |first=Daniel |date=August 22, 2009 |title=Avatar = "Apocalypto" + George Lucas |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/08/22/i-avatar-i-i-apocalypto-i-george-lucas.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230142602/http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/08/22/i-avatar-i-i-apocalypto-i-george-lucas.aspx |archive-date=December 30, 2009 |access-date=December 22, 2009 |website=Slate}} The New York Times noted that 20th Century Fox executives had decided to release Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel alongside Avatar, calling it a "secret weapon" to cover any unforeseeable losses at the box office.{{Cite news |last=Cieply |first=Michael |date=November 8, 2009 |title=A Movie's Budget Pops From the Screen |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/media/09avatar.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011003920/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/business/media/09avatar.html |archive-date=October 11, 2011}}

{{quote box

| quote=I think if everybody was embracing the film before the fact, the film could never live up to that expectation ... Have them go with some sense of wanting to find the answer.

| source = James Cameron on criticism of Avatar before its release.

| align = left

| width = 15%

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Box office analysts, on the other hand, estimated that the film would be a box office success.{{Cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Adam |date=December 17, 2009 |title=How Will 'Avatar' Fare At The Box Office? Experts Weigh In |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1628513/how-will-avatar-fare-at-the-box-office-experts-weigh-in/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605043259/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628513/how-will-avatar-fare-at-box-office-experts-weigh.jhtml |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |publisher=MTV}} "The holy grail of 3-D has finally arrived," said an analyst for Exhibitor Relations. "This is why all these 3-D venues were built: for Avatar. This is the one. The behemoth." The "cautionary estimate" was that Avatar would bring in around $60 million in its opening weekend. Others guessed higher.{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Jeffery |date=December 9, 2009 |title=Avatar Adjustments |url=http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2009/12/avatar_adjustme.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106040359/http://www.hollywood-elsewhere.com/2009/12/avatar_adjustme.php |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |access-date=December 22, 2009 |website=hollywood-elsewhere.com |publisher=Hollywood Elsewhere}} There were also analysts who believed that the film's three-dimensionality would help its box office performance, given that recent 3D films had been successful.

Cameron said he felt the pressure of the predictions, but that pressure is good for film-makers. "It makes us think about our audiences and what the audience wants," he stated. "We owe them a good time. We owe them a piece of good entertainment." Although he felt Avatar would appeal to everyone and that the film could not afford to have a target demographic, he especially wanted hard-core science-fiction fans to see it: "If I can just get 'em in the damn theater, the film will act on them in the way it's supposed to, in terms of taking them on an amazing journey and giving them this rich emotional experience."{{Cite web |last=Blair |first=Iain |date=December 8, 2009 |title=Avatar's Cameron shrugs off buzz – and promises a sequel |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/avatars_cameron_shrugs_of |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102105042/http://scifiwire.com/2009/12/avatars-cameron-shrugs-of.php |archive-date=January 2, 2010 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |website=Sci-Fi Wire |publisher=Syfy}} Cameron was aware of the sentiment that Avatar would need significant "repeat business" just to make up for its budget and achieve box office success, and believed Avatar could inspire the same "sharing" reaction as Titanic. He said that film worked because, "When people have an experience that's very powerful in the movie theatre, they want to go share it. They want to grab their friend and bring them, so that they can enjoy it. They want to be the person to bring them the news that this is something worth having in their life."

After the film's release and unusually strong box office performance over its first two weeks, it was debated as the one film capable of surpassing Titanic{{'}}s worldwide gross, and its continued strength perplexed box office analysts.{{Cite news |date=January 3, 2010 |title='Avatar' Hits $1 Billion Mark, Eyes 'Titanic' Record |work=omg! |publisher=Yahoo! News |url=http://omg.yahoo.com/news/avatar-hits-1-billion-mark-eyes-titanic-record/33343 |access-date=January 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106061257/http://omg.yahoo.com/news/avatar-hits-1-billion-mark-eyes-titanic-record/33343 |archive-date=January 6, 2010}} Other films in recent years had been cited as contenders for surpassing Titanic, such as 2008's The Dark Knight,{{Cite news |last=Tramontana |first=Stephen |date=January 5, 2010 |title=Why Avatar will not beat Titanic |publisher=Manolith.com |url=http://www.manolith.com/2010/01/05/why-avatar-will-not-beat-titanic/ |access-date=January 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108182705/http://www.manolith.com/2010/01/05/why-avatar-will-not-beat-titanic/ |archive-date=January 8, 2010}} but Avatar was considered the first film with a genuine chance to do so, and its numbers being aided by higher ticket prices for 3D screenings did not fully explain its success to box office analysts. "Most films are considered to be healthy if they manage anything less than a 50% drop from their first weekend to their second. Dipping just 11% from the first to the third is unheard of," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office analysis for Hollywood.com. "This is just unprecedented. I had to do a double take. I thought it was a miscalculation."{{Cite news |last=Britt |first=Russ |date=January 4, 2010 |title=Can Cameron break his own box-office record? 'Avatar' unprecedented in staying power, international sales |work=MarketWatch |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-avatar-director-break-his-box-office-record-2010-01-04 |url-status=live |access-date=January 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106030156/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/can-avatar-director-break-his-box-office-record-2010-01-04 |archive-date=January 6, 2010}} Analysts predicted second place for the film's worldwide gross, but most were uncertain about it surpassing Titanic because "Today's films flame out much faster than they did when Titanic was released." Brandon Gray, president of Box Office Mojo, believed in the film's chances of becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, though he also believed it was too early to surmise because it had only played during the holidays. He said, "While Avatar may beat Titanic{{'}}s record, it will be tough, and the film is unlikely to surpass Titanic in attendance. Ticket prices were about $3 cheaper in the late 1990s." Cameron said he did not think it was realistic to "try to topple Titanic off its perch" because it "just struck some kind of chord" and there had been other good films in recent years.{{Cite news |last=Ditzian |first=Eric |date=January 4, 2010 |title=Will 'Avatar' Top James Cameron's 'Titanic' Box-Office Record? |publisher=MTV |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1628991/will-avatar-top-james-camerons-titanic-box-office-record/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109070153/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1628991/story.jhtml |archive-date=January 9, 2010}} He changed his prediction by mid-January. "It's gonna happen. It's just a matter of time," he said.{{Cite news |last=Jacks |first=Brian |date=January 16, 2010 |title=EXCLUSIVE: James Cameron Says 'Avatar' Will Beat 'Titanic' To Become Biggest Of All Time |publisher=MTV |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/2435169/james-cameron-weighs-in-on-whether-avatar-will-outsell-titanic/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117090711/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/01/16/james-cameron-weighs-in-on-whether-avatar-will-outsell-titanic/ |archive-date=January 17, 2010}}

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| quote=You've got to compete head on with these other epic works of fantasy and fiction, the Tolkiens and the Star Wars and the Star Treks. People want a persistent alternate reality to invest themselves in and they want the detail that makes it rich and worth their time. They want to live somewhere else. Like Pandora.

| source = James Cameron on the success of Avatar{{Cite news |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |date=August 25, 2010 |title=James Cameron: I want to compete with 'Star Wars' and Tolkien |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2010/08/25/james-cameron-i-want-to-compete-with-star-wars-and-tolkien/ |access-date=October 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106161526/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2010/08/25/james-cameron-i-want-to-compete-with-star-wars-and-tolkien/ |archive-date=November 6, 2010 }}

| align = right

| width = 15%

}}

Although analysts have been unable to agree that Avatar{{'}}s success is attributable to one primary factor, several explanations have been advanced. First, January is historically "the dumping ground for the year's weakest films", and this also applied to 2010.{{Cite news |last=Ball |first=Sarah |date=January 6, 2010 |title=How 'Avatar' Can Beat 'Titanic |work=Newsweek |url=https://www.newsweek.com/how-avatar-can-beat-titanic-71031 |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109013438/http://www.newsweek.com/id/229545 |archive-date=January 9, 2010}}

Cameron himself said he decided to open the film in December so that it would have less competition from then to January. Titanic capitalized on the same January predictability, and earned most of its gross in 1998. Additionally, Avatar established itself as a "must-see" event. Gray said, "At this point, people who are going to see Avatar are going to see Avatar and would even if the slate was strong." Marketing the film as a "novelty factor" also helped. Fox positioned the film as a cinematic event that should be seen in the theaters. "It's really hard to sell the idea that you can have the same experience at home," stated David Mumpower, an analyst at BoxOfficeProphets.com. The "Oscar buzz" surrounding the film and international viewings helped. "Two-thirds of Titanic{{'}}s haul was earned overseas, and Avatar [tracked] similarly ...Avatar opened in 106 markets globally and was No. 1 in all of them", and the markets "such as Russia, where Titanic saw modest receipts in 1997 and 1998, are white-hot today" with "more screens and moviegoers" than before.

According to Variety, films in 3D accumulated $1.3 billion in 2009, "a threefold increase over 2008 and more than 10% of the total 2009 box-office gross". The increased ticket price – an average of $2 to $3 per ticket in most markets – helped the film. Likewise, Entertainment Weekly attributed the film's success to 3D glasses but also to its "astronomic word-of-mouth". Not only do some theaters charge up to $18.50 for IMAX tickets, but "the buzz" created by the new technology was the possible cause for sold-out screenings.{{Cite magazine |last=Vary |first=Adam B. |date=January 3, 2010 |title=Box Office Report: 'Avatar' is No. 1 again, soars past $1 billion worldwide |url=https://ew.com/article/2010/01/03/box-office-avatar-soars-past-1-billion-worldwide/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516081609/http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/01/03/box-office-avatar-soars-past-1-billion-worldwide/ |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022}} Gray said Avatar having no basis in previously established material makes its performance remarkable and even more impressive. "The movie might be derivative of many movies in its story and themes," he said, "but it had no direct antecedent like the other top-grossing films: Titanic (historical events), the Star Wars movies (an established film franchise), or The Lord of the Rings (literature). It was a tougher sell ..." The Hollywood Reporter estimated that after a combined production and promotion cost of between $387 million and $437 million, the film turned a net profit of $1.2 billion.{{Cite web |last=Galloway |first=Stephen |date=January 18, 2020 |title=What Is the Most Profitable Movie Ever? |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/what-is-profitable-movie-ever-1269879/ |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

{{Anchor|Awards}}

{{Main|List of accolades received by Avatar|l1=List of accolades received by Avatar}}

Avatar won the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects, and was nominated for a total of nine, including Best Picture and Best Director.{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2010 |title=The 82nd Academy Award Winners and Nominees |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124355359 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506012846/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124355359 |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2023 |website=NPR}} Avatar also won the 67th Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director, and was nominated for two others.{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2010 |title=Golden Globe Winners List 2010 |url=http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/01/17/golden-globe-winners-2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115201611/http://www.moviefone.com/golden-globes/nominee-winner |archive-date=January 15, 2010 |access-date=January 17, 2010 |publisher=Moviefone}} At the 36th Saturn Awards, Avatar won all ten awards it was nominated for: Best Science Fiction Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Writing, Best Music, Best Production Design and Best Special Effects.

The New York Film Critics Online honored the film with its Best Picture award.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Don |date=December 14, 2009 |title=N.Y. Online Critics like 'Avatar' |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/news/n-y-online-critics-like-avatar-1118012762/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610234212/https://variety.com/2009/film/news/n-y-online-critics-like-avatar-1118012762/ |archive-date=June 10, 2015 |access-date=December 15, 2009 |website=Variety}} The film also won the Critics' Choice Awards of the Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Action Film and several technical categories, out of nine nominations.{{Cite news |last=Child |first=Ben |date=December 15, 2009 |title=Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds dominates Critics' Choice awards |work=The Guardian |location=UK |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/dec/15/tarantino-inglourious-basterds-critics-choice |access-date=December 15, 2009}} It won two of the St. Louis Film Critics awards: Best Visual Effects and Most Original, Innovative or Creative Film.{{Cite news |last=Robinson |first=Anna |date=December 21, 2009 |title=St. Louis Film Critics Awards 2009 |work=altfg.com |publisher=Alt Film Guide |url=http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/st-louis-film-critics-awards-2009-948 |access-date=September 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222073208/http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/st-louis-film-critics-awards-2009-948 |archive-date=December 22, 2009}} The film also won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for Production Design and Special Visual Effects, and was nominated for six others, including Best Film and Director.{{Cite news |date=January 21, 2010 |title=Film Awards Winners |publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Arts |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-awards-nominations,949,BA.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401225045/http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-awards-nominations,949,BA.html |archive-date=April 1, 2010}} The film has received numerous other major awards, nominations and honors.

Despite the film's financial and critical success, some journalists have questioned Avatar's cultural impact.{{Efn|Attributed to multiple sources:{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2022 |title=Avatar returns to theaters, but has its magic faded? |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/avatar-returns-to-theaters-magic-faded/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Digital Trends |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Bunch |first=Sonny |date=May 18, 2022 |title=Does the world really want an 'Avatar' sequel? |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/05/18/avatar-way-water-sequel-box-office-china/ |access-date=September 24, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Placido |first=Dani Di |title=Why 'Avatar' Never Really Managed To Take Root In Pop Culture |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2020/07/24/why-avatar-never-really-managed-to-take-root-in-pop-culture/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Power |first=Ed |date=July 24, 2020 |title=Avatar amnesia: how the world forgot about the biggest film of all time |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/avatar-amnesia-world-forgot-biggest-film-time2/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite web |last=Blichert |first=Frederick |title=10 Years Later, 'Avatar' Is the Most Popular Movie No One Remembers |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/10-years-later-avatar-is-the-most-popular-movie-no-one-remembers/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Vice.com |date=November 13, 2019 |language=en}}}} In 2014, Scott Mendelson of Forbes said the film had been "all but forgotten", citing the lack of merchandising, a fandom for the film, or any long-enduring media franchise, and further stated that he believed most general audiences could not remember any of the film's details, such as the names of its characters or actors in the cast. Mendelson argued Avatar's only achievement of note to be its popularization of 3D cinema. Despite this, he still felt it was a quality film, saying, "A great blockbuster movie can just be a great blockbuster movie without capturing the lunchbox market."{{Cite web |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |title=Five Years Ago, 'Avatar' Grossed $2.7 Billion But Left No Pop Culture Footprint |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2014/12/18/avatar-became-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time-while-leaving-no-pop-culture-footprint/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}} He further reflected and reversed his stance in 2022 after the box office success of the re-release, saying, "The very things that made Avatar sometimes feel like a 'forgotten blockbuster' have inspired a skewed renewed nostalgia for its singular existence. It was just a movie, an original auteur-specific movie that prioritized top-shelf filmmaking and clockwork plotting over quotable dialogue and memes."{{Cite web |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |title=Box Office: Last Weekend Proved That Audiences Still Care About 'Avatar' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2022/09/26/box-office-last-weekend-proved-that-audiences-still-care-about-james-cameron-avatar-way-of-water/?sh=415bdf671066 |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

Some have questioned if there is an audience for the film's planned sequels, believing there to be a lack of interest in the face of the multiple delays of their release dates.{{Cite web |last=Child |first=Ben |date=June 6, 2017 |title=Avatar: why no one cares about a sequel to the world's most successful movie |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2017/jun/06/avatar-why-no-one-cares-about-a-sequel-to-the-worlds-most-successful-movie |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} Writing for The Escapist, Darren Mooney acknowledged that the film had not been broadly remembered in the pop cultural subconscious and had not found a fandom in the same sense as many other popular media, but argued that this was not a negative point, saying, "its defining legacy is the insistence that it lacks a legacy."{{Cite web |last=Mooney |first=Darren |date=January 13, 2020 |title=Avatar's Lack of a Cultural Footprint Might Be Its Best Feature |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/avatar-lack-cultural-footprint-best-feature/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=The Escapist |language=en-US}}

In 2022, in response to the trailer for Avatar's upcoming sequel and the film's re-release, journalists again questioned the cultural relevance of the film, particularly Patrick Ryan of USA Today, who said the film had "curiously left almost no pop-culture footprint".{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Patrick |title=Do moviegoers still care about 'Avatar'? James Cameron is about to find out |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2022/09/22/avatar-movie-sequel-way-of-water/8070575001/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Serrels |first=Mark |title='Avatar': The Blockbuster Movie That History Forgot |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/avatar-the-blockbuster-movie-that-history-forgot/ |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=CNET |date=May 9, 2022 |language=en}} In contrast, Bilge Ebiri of Vulture called others' opinions that the film had left no cultural impact "narrow-minded" and said that the film still held up well.{{Cite web |last=Ebiri |first=Bilge |date=September 23, 2022 |title=Sorry, But Avatar Still Rules |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/avatar-is-back-in-theaters-and-its-still-great.html |access-date=September 25, 2022 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}} A detailed overview of the Avatar franchise was reported in The New York Times in December of that year.{{Cite news |last=Keiles |first=Jamie Lauren |date=December 1, 2022 |title='Avatar' and the Mystery of the Vanishing Blockbuster – It was the highest-grossing film in history, but foryears it was remembered mainly for having been forgotten. Why? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/30/magazine/avatar-franchise.html |access-date=December 3, 2022}}

{{Main|Avatar: The Way of Water{{!}}Avatar: The Way of Water|Avatar: Fire and Ash{{!}}Avatar: Fire and Ash|Avatar 4{{!}}Avatar 4|Avatar 5{{!}}Avatar 5}}

{{See also|Avatar (franchise){{!}}Avatar (franchise)}}

Avatar{{'s}} success led to two sequels; this number was subsequently expanded to four.{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Hunter |date=January 2, 2023 |title=An Exhaustive Timeline of All the Avatar Sequel Announcements |url=https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/avatar-sequel-announcements-timeline-james-cameron.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103032854/https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/avatar-sequel-announcements-timeline-james-cameron.html |archive-date=January 3, 2023 |access-date=April 2, 2023 |website=Vulture}} Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) grossed over $2.3 billion, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2022,{{Cite web |title=Top 2022 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319032303/https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/cumulative/released-in-2022 |archive-date=March 19, 2023 |access-date=April 2, 2023 |website=The Numbers}} and received a similarly positive critical and audience response.{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=avatar_the_way_of_water |type=m |title=Avatar: The Way of Water |access-date=April 2, 2023}}{{cbignore}} It will be followed by Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). The fourth and fifth Avatar films are scheduled to be released in 2029 and 2031.{{Cite web |last1=McClintock |first1=Pamela |last2=Couch |first2=Aaron |date=June 13, 2023 |title=Avatar 3 Pushed a Year to 2025, Two Star Wars Movies Head for 2026 and Avengers Films Delayed |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/disney-moves-avatar-star-wars-avengers-1235514145/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613153920/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/disney-moves-avatar-star-wars-avengers-1235514145/ |archive-date=June 13, 2023 |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}

{{Main|Toruk – The First Flight|l1=Toruk – The First Flight}}

Toruk – The First Flight is an original stage production by the Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil which ran between December 2015 and June 2019. Inspired by Avatar, the story is set in Pandora's past, involving a prophecy concerning a threat to the Tree of Souls and a quest for totems from different tribes. Audience members could download an app in order to participate in show effects. On January 18, 2016, it was announced via the Toruk Facebook page that filming for a DVD release had been completed and was undergoing editing.{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2016 |title=That's a wrap! Filming for the upcoming #TORUK DVD is complete! Next stop, the editing room ... |url=https://www.facebook.com/torukthefirstflight/photos/a.1122793164413320.1073741826.1087940301231940/1314514921907809/?type=3&theater |access-date=January 18, 2016 |publisher=TORUK – The First Flight via Facebook}}

{{Main|Pandora – The World of Avatar}}

In 2011, Cameron, Lightstorm, and Fox entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Disney to feature Avatar-themed attractions at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, including a themed land for Disney's Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The area, known as Pandora – The World of Avatar, opened on May 27, 2017.{{Cite news |last=Cody |first=Anthony |date=September 22, 2011 |title=Disney to build Avatar attractions at its theme parks |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/8782056/Disney-to-build-Avatar-attractions-at-its-theme-parks.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=September 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/8782056/Disney-to-build-Avatar-attractions-at-its-theme-parks.html |archive-date=January 10, 2022}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite magazine |last=Levy |first=Dani |date=February 7, 2017 |title=Disney's 'Avatar'-Themed Land Opening Date Revealed, Star Wars Land Coming in 2019 |url=https://variety.com/2017/biz/news/disney-avatar-land-pandora-opening-date-star-wars-land-1201980722/ |magazine=Variety |access-date=February 8, 2017}}

Following the release of Avatar, Cameron planned to write a novel based on the film, "telling the story of the movie, but [going] into much more depth about all the stories that we didn't have time to deal with."{{Cite web |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=February 18, 2010 |title=James Cameron to write novel based on Avatar |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/18/james-cameron-avatar-prequel-novel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108070905/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/feb/18/james-cameron-avatar-prequel-novel |archive-date=January 8, 2014 |access-date=March 8, 2021 |website=The Guardian}} In 2013, this plan was superseded by the announcement of four novels set within the "Avatar expanded universe", to be written by Steven Gould. The books were due to be published by Penguin Random House, although since 2017, there has been no update on the planned book series.{{Cite web |last=Maher |first=John |date=December 7, 2017 |title=PRH Inks Multi-Book 'Avatar' Deal |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/book-deals/article/75550-prh-inks-multi-book-avatar-deal.html |access-date=March 8, 2021 |website=Publishers Weekly}}

{{Portal|Film|United States|Science fiction}}

• List of films featuring extraterrestrials
• List of films featuring powered exoskeletons
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{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{Cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Jeffrey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=es1Xl2E3DAkC |title=Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient Wisdom for a New World |publisher=Atria Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-58270-281-0 |location=New York}} A detailed analysis of the film's parallels with the teachings of the Vedas.
• {{Cite book |last1=Duncan |first1=Jody |title=The Making of Avatar |last2=Fitzpatrick, Lisa |publisher=Harry N. Abrams |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-8109-9706-6 |location=New York |oclc=555654027}}
• {{Cite book |last=Mahoney |first=Kevin Patrick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ZWhqcOYkwYC |title=The Ultimate Fan's Guide to Avatar, James Cameron's Epic Movie (Unauthorized) |publisher=Punked Books |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-9533172-5-7 |location=London}}

{{refend}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100525105437/http://www.foxscreenings.com/media/pdf/JamesCameronAVATAR.pdf Official shooting script]
• {{IMDb title}}

{{Avatar (franchise)|state=expanded}}

{{James Cameron}}

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