by Alexandra August – on Jul 05, 2018 in Lists
When Avatar premiered in 2009, it blew away all expectations in nearly every conceivable way. Director James Cameron hadn’t released a movie since Titanic in 1997. Little was known about the ambitious project other than the fact that it was a wholly original sci-fi fantasy and would be pioneering in its use of special effects. That last bit turned out to be a huge understatement and the film would go on to set to a new standard for realism when it came to the use of CGI and live action in tandem. Audiences responded to the thought-provoking storylines found in Cameron’s script about environmental abuse, forced relocation, and colonization.
Sam Worthington rocketed to fame as Jake Sully, a paraplegic man who falls in love with a member of the Na’vi race he’s been tasked with forcibly moving. Moviegoers were astonished by the sophistication of Pandora, the alien world inhabited by the Na’vi, and the unique connection the Na'vi had with nature. With all of these elements, it’s not difficult to see why Cameron’s film became the highest-grossing film of all time or why the director has several sequels green-lit in the decade since the film’s release.
With more Avatar content upon us, it seems only fitting to revisit the first film and some of the groundbreaking facts surrounding its production. Here are 20 Things Everyone Forgets About Avatar.
