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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

After more than a decade since making some film about a sinking ship (documentaries notwithstanding), James Cameron finally returns to the director's chair with his long-planned project Avatar.

Set a couple of hundred years from now, the story revolves around the discovery of a new planet with a richly diverse, but deadly biosphere, but one incredibly rich in resources and exploitable treasures. A team of botanists and other specialists are sent there to investigate, using genetically engineered bodies, designed to be compatible with the environment and remotely controlled by a human consciousness, to explore and interact with the Na'vi, the planet's natives.

The lead character is Jake Sully, a disabled war veteran recruited onto the team to operate one of the avatar bodies. As Jake interacts with the Na'vi, learning their ways and building trust and respect, he begins to realise that he faces a choice; to continue to work for those who only see the Na'vi homeworld as a resource to be exploited, or to take a stand and lead the Na'vi into a battle for their own survival.

A mix of live action and CGI, with the Na'vi and the avatars being created entirely through highly advanced performance-capture, the film's estimated to be approximately 60% CGI, with WETA Digital signing on to provide the effects work. Cameron's been talking about this project ever since Titanic, but has only progressed with it now that effects technology has reached the point where they can do it properly. Shooting of the live action elements has apparently finished, with the performance capture work proceeding at the moment.

Australian actor Sam Worthington takes on the lead role of Jake (and his avatar), with Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, Jake's Na'vi romantic interest. Sigourney Weaver plays Grace, a botanist who becomes Jake's mentor. Other cast members include Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi.

I do like the sound of this film. Titanic aside, I've enjoyed Cameron's work and will be very interested to see what he comes up with on this one, which has been a real labour of love project for him over the last decade. Premise certainly has potential and, with Cameron and WETA behind it, the visuals could be spectacular.

18th December 2009
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OneHappyHusky · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 6:04 pm Post subject:

Sounds interesting. After "Aliens" (one of my most favorite movies) I tend to have a lot of confidence in Cameron and space movies. Cool

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Madstunts · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject:

Cameron has been a big advocate recently for 3D cinema. I would put money on him filming this in 3D.

...not much money, but enough to buy a pint.

I'm a huge fan of Jim Cameron (including Titanic), but not of computer generated stuff. So, I'm apprehensive, but Cameron's never made a bad film, in my opinion.

(including Titanic)
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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

Hehehehe, no bet there, he is, indeed, using a 3D camera system, as I understand it.
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Madstunts · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject:

Eh?

Cameron doesn't make a (fiction) movie for a decade, and then makes two at the same time???!!!

http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0437086/
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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

Originally he was going to do Battle Angel before Avatar; for whatever reason, he ultimately decided to switch them around, but apparently the IMDb haven't caught up with a revised likely release date. Last time I saw anything, it's suggested that Battle Angel may come out late 2010, if Cameron shoots it while WETA are dealing with post-production on Avatar, or, more likely, sometime in mid-2011.
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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

Not been a lot of movement on this one lately, but these have appeared online, purporting to be concept art for the Na'vi, most probably the key role of Neytiri, the alien love interest for the main character.

Obviously a question remains over how accurate these are to the final design, but I do like the general look and will be very interested to see how they end up in the fully rendered motion-captured versions that will appear on-screen. Some nice touches, particularly the apparently bioluminescent hair and tail.
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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

Well, we have a teaser trailer, although, unusually for a teaser, it does show quite a lot of short chunks of footage.

So far, I have to admit, not particularly blown away. There's plenty of nice design work in evidence, plus some action sequences that look like they ought to be quite a ride, but the much-promised mind-blowing CG realism is yet to make an appearance, with some shots resembling little more than a cut scene from a computer game.

Still, release day is still months away and, as has happened with many films, I'm sure that we'll see the effects work progress considerably as they near the final version of the film.
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SexyIrishLeprechaun · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:44 pm Post subject:

Am I the only one who is totally "meh" about this movie? Confused

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PrincessEss · Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 5:05 pm Post subject:

Nope!

S.
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OneHappyHusky · Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 7:50 pm Post subject:

Just saw a three minute sneak preview trailer before the Seahawk's game...WOW, looks amazing! Much better than I expected (and I had high expectations) Really eager to see it now.
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GalahadFairlight · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:39 pm Post subject:

I'll see Avatar, but its not and essential one for me, and this coming from a general fan of Cameron (except Titanic, did nothing for me).

Theres simply nothing original about the story, its pretty much Dances With Wolves but on another planet.

Theres even some deja vu with reference to Cameron 'borrowing' lots of the storyline from a book "Call me Joe" by Poul Anderson. Even the title of the movie is taken from a later book by Anderson called "The Avatar", so its very hard for me to take seriously his claims that he was inspired by lots of old sci-fi, because thats then a convenient get out clause if particular authors or estates of authors try and sue for plagiarism, because Cameron can claim he was inspired by lots of different books.

I'm sure it will look great, i'm sure it will meet with solid direction, but I have to say for the first time in an age, its just a movie I will see when I get around to it.
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OneHappyHusky · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:35 am Post subject:

The fact that your entire image of Cameron did not hinge on Titanic only makes me love you more! *Grins*
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JohnRosa · Oscar winner Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 2780

I'm with Galahad. Every word in the trailer I saw yesterday indicate a total rehash of all the stereotypes we've seen a thousand times. And the blue dudes, long advertised as being at an all-new level of CGI, look barely pasable. The humans in Animatrix looked more convincing....heck, Final fantasy! Very disappointing after the long, long, long buildup.
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Tailkinker · Site Admin Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 20842

I'd certainly question that the humans in the Animatrix were more convincing, and I'd laugh my head off at the suggestion that the Final Fantasy ones were. Sure, in a still frame they looked impressive, but the moment they started moving, any hint of realism died right there and then...

I'm yet to be convinced by the Avatar aliens, but they sure as hell move well.
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