ZOE SALDAÑA, SIGOURNEY WEAVER, AND KATE WINSLET FEATURED IN UNDERWATER ART CELEBRATING “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” AND SHOT BY CHRISTY LEE ROGERS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

 

Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet, stars of 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The Way of Water,” posed for renowned underwater photographer Christy Lee Rogers for a series of photographs celebrating our oceans to raise funds to support The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 

 

James Cameron, the film’s producer/director/writer, is a long-time supporter of ocean conservation. Rogers created these artworks in her unique style, breaking usual conventions and shooting the actresses through the play of light refracting through the water to evoke the feel of a painting.

 

Cameron said: “I have long admired Christy’s art and began collecting her works several years ago. Her unique style of shooting her subjects underwater naturally inspired me to suggest she do a special shoot with our cast.”

 

The artwork will be launched online on March 8, 2024, as four  limited edition, museum quality photographs signed by Rogers, as well as a series of high-quality prints both signed by Rogers and unsigned, available for purchase through Fraser Scott at A Gallery Artists Ltd. via  Rogers’ website at  www.christyleerogers.com/avatar.

“Offering these unique pieces of art to benefit The Nature Conservancy through the “Avatar: The Way of Water’s” ‘Keep Our Oceans Amazing’ campaign is a perfect synergy, and we were excited to collaborate with Christy,” added producer Jon Landau.

 

In celebration of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” Disney and “Avatar” launched a global “Keep Our Oceans Amazing” campaign to raise awareness of the challenges facing oceans and marine life. The campaign supports TNC and its work to protect 10 of our oceans’ amazing animals and their habitats, connected to the beauty of Pandora. This art sale is one of many ways fans can help TNC reach its goal, as 100 percent of net proceeds from the art sales will go to TNC and help protect our oceans. To learn more, visit:  www.nature.org/disney

 

Christy Lee Rogers said: “Water is healing – it’s life itself. And as the provider of life – oxygen to all through tiny phytoplankton, our oceans need our care more than ever right now. It is a great honor to be able to help James Cameron, Jon Landau, and the ‘Avatar’ and Disney teams in realizing that dream of clean and protected world oceans – through the release of these images for The Nature Conservancy.” 

“Healthy oceans are vital to the health of the planet and all living things, including people. Oceans are 90 percent of the habitable planet and home to more than half of all life on earth; they provide livelihoods for billions of people, produce the food we eat and half the air we breathe,” said Melissa Garvey, global director of ocean protection at The Nature Conservancy. “Through the work of Christy Lee Rogers and the support of Disney and ‘Avatar,’ we can shape a brighter future where people and nature can thrive—ensuring healthier oceans for all.”

 

20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The Way of Water,” nominated for four Academy Awards® including best picture, is filmmaker James Cameron’s highly acclaimed first follow-up to his 2009 blockbuster hit “Avatar.” Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure. Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the Lightstorm Entertainment Production stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet. The screenplay is by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. The story is by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno. David Valdes and Richard Baneham serve as the film’s executive producers.

4K Digital Review of Avatar: The Way of Water

 

Avatar: The Way of Water is set 15 years after the events of the first film. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) along with their kids find themselves leaving their home in the forest after the humans have returned to strip the planet of its natural resources. The family finds itself seeking shelter with the water Metkayina clan. 

All of this against the breathtaking backdrop of Pandora, where audiences are introduced to new Na’vi cultures and a range of exotic sea creatures that populate the majestic oceans. 

Nominated for numerous Academy Awards® including Best Picture, the James Cameron-directed film became the third highest-grossing box office film of all-time and set a new benchmark for visual effects. Produced by Cameron and his longtime partner Jon Landau, the Lightstorm Entertainment production stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet. Joining the illustrious adult cast are talented newcomers Britain Dalton, Jamie Flatters, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass and Jack Champion.

Video:

The digital 4K UHD transfer is stunning and your TV screen or projection screen will leap to life in the world of Pandora. The colors just simple pop off the screen. The film looks its very best in 3D but the digital download is in 2D only. Hopefully there will be a Blu-Ray 3D version since 4K UHD has no 3D option and so far there are no streaming services that support 4K 3D. 

Audio:

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack takes full advantage of your speakers. The dialogue is crisp and clear. Environmental effects such as wind and rain sound like they are coming overhead, gun shots ricochet from every direction and explosions create debris that flies all around us. The soundtrack is glorious and deserves to be heard in surround sound.  

Bonus Features: 

Inside Pandora's Box (A series of featurettes on the challenges facing cast and crew as filmmakers devise new technologies to push the limits of cinema)

• Building the World of Pandora – James Cameron and a team of talented artists combine years of research with their design skills to build the world of Pandora with new characters, creatures, indigenous clans, underwater environments and the take-no-prisoners hard-tech world of the RDA.
• Capturing Pandora – James Cameron’s approach to performance capture has the cast performing in a volume rigged with infrared cameras to capture their movement, and head rig cameras to capture emotion on their faces with only the boundaries of imagination to limit them.
• The Undersea World of Pandora – Co-production designer Dylan Cole and his team conceive of the marine creatures required for Avatar: The Way of Water while James Cameron and his stunt team devise extraordinary means to bring those creatures to life in a performance capture tank.
• The Challenges of Pandora's Waters – James Cameron tackles the “non-trivial challenge” of performance capture above and below the water’s surface, utilizing a wave machine and current generator to reproduce ocean conditions, and underwater vehicles to replicate creature movement.
• Pandora’s Returning Characters – James Cameron reunites with his returning cast – Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. Together they discuss the amazing evolution of their characters in Avatar: The Way of Water. 
• Pandora’s Next Generation – Meet the talented young newcomers who have been cast as the next generation of Na’vi and follow them through the adventure of making Avatar: The Way of Water. 
• Spider's Web – James Cameron introduced the human character of Spider into the fabric of Pandora – thus creating a host of technological challenges on set…and an incredible journey for the young actor, Jack Champion.
• Becoming Na’vi – The Avatar cast is immersed in the culture of the indigenous Na’vi, living off the land in the Hawaiian rainforest and training in a multitude of disciplines in preparation for their roles.
• The Reef People of Pandora – In true James Cameron-style, the Metkayina reef clan has been developed with great attention to detail, bearing unique evolutionary traits and a culture – with new dwellings, new clothes and different way of life – all a result of living off the ocean. 
• Bringing Pandora to Life – Once James Cameron completes his virtual production process, every sequence is turned over to Wētā FX to bring Pandora to life – with unprecedented advancements in facial performance, environments and making CG water look real.
• The RDA Returns to Pandora – Co-production designer Ben Procter and his team present an armada of new vehicles and human technologies that the RDA brings to Pandora – in concept design and with practical builds.
• The New Characters of Pandora – Meet the important new characters of the Avatar saga played by Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell and Jemaine Clement.
• The Sounds of Pandora – Hear how James Cameron worked with composer Simon Franglen to create the distinctive music of The Way of Water while building on James Horner’s brilliant score for Avatar, and learn how Chris Boyes created the immersive sounds of Pandora.
• New Zealand – Pandora’s Home – The production of the Avatar sequels is so thoroughly ensconced in New Zealand that James Cameron considers The Way of Water a “New Zealand film.” Hear reflections from the cast and crew, including the remarkable New Zealand crew, on making the film.

 

More from Pandora's Box (Additional featurettes that highlight special teams within the production)

• Casting – Discover the screen tests that won the talented young cast their roles in Avatar: The Way of Water.
• Stunts – The Avatar stunt team isn’t just creating breathtaking action, they’re driving the story. From racing underwater on ilus, flying the skies on ikrans, to maneuvering RDA speed boats, the stunt team leaves you breathless and wanting more.
• The Lab – Explore the Lightstorm Lab, the backbone of virtual production for the Avatar films. Comprised of specialized teams, the Lab builds & supports every aspect of the production – environments, motion edit, Kabuki, sequence, post-viz and software development.
• The Troupe – Avatar’s Troupe is the Swiss Army Knife of acting, while playing dozens of roles on set, in the performance capture volume and on live-action sets, they bring life to Na’vi clans and RDA Recoms. They also play Na’vi-scale puppets on the live-action sets.

Marketing Materials & Music Video (Marketing materials used to build audience awareness of the film)

• Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength) Music Video – Multi-Grammy-winning, music superstar, The Weeknd, performs his emotionally packed end title song in the official music video for the smash hit “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength).”
• Theatrical Trailers 1 & 2 – Avatar: The Way of Water used two theatrical trailers to engage the audience. The first was a teaser trailer released 7 months before the film. The second was a standard trailer that premiered 5 weeks before the film’s release. 

Conclusion:

Avatar: The Way of Water is a feast for the senses. The action, adventure and special effects make this a film where James Cameron is at his very best. The video and audio quality are flawless. The wealth of bonus features is exceptional here. A must have for your library. Avatar: The Way of Water is available for digital download now.

*The digital code was offered for review by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and the review is strictly my opinion.*

NEW TRAILER AND POSTER FOR “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER”

 

20th Century Studios has released a new trailer and poster for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” James Cameron’s highly anticipated, first follow-up to his Academy Award®-winning “Avatar,” the highest-grossing film of all time. “Avatar: The Way of Water” opens in theaters on December 16.

 

In celebration of the trailer and poster launch for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” a stunning light show of massive proportions featuring highlights from the film will be projected tonight over Niagara Falls.

 

With “Avatar: The Way of Water,”  the cinematic experience reaches new heights as Cameron transports audiences back to the magnificent world of Pandora in a spectacular and stirring action-packed adventure.

 

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive,  and the tragedies they endure. 

 

Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the Lightstorm Entertainment Production stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Kate Winslet. Screenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. Story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno. David Valdes and Richard Baneham serve as the film’s executive producers.

TEASER TRAILER FOR 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS’ “AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER”

 

BURBANK, Calif. (May 9, 2022) – The teaser trailer for 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which first debuted in theaters on May 6, is available now.  James Cameron’s first follow-up to his “Avatar,” the highest-grossing film of all time, will open in theaters on December 16.

 

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive,  and the tragedies they endure. Directed by James Cameron and produced by Cameron and Jon Landau, the film stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement and Kate Winslet. 

 

To whet audiences’ appetites, the studio will re-release “Avatar” in theaters on September 23.