CinemaCon delegates, donning their 3D goggles, greeted their return to Pandora with a first look at the stunning teaser trailer for James Cameron’s newly titled sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, on Wednesday during Disney’s slate presentation at Caesars Palace’s Colosseum.
“We have to make sure [audiences] have an experience they can’t get anywhere else, and it has to be a theaters exclusive,” said producer Jon Landau at the launch of the teaser trailer, which will be released exclusively in theaters next week, ahead of Disney/Marvel’s Doctor Strange and the multiverse of madness. Landau also announced plans to re-release the original Avatar in theaters on September 23 with restored picture and sound.
Landau reported that each of the four sequels — the first, The Way of Water, due out December 16 — will focus on the return of Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, and Na’vi Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldaña becomes her family and they do everything to protect each other; Each is a standalone film that “together is an even more connected epic saga.”
In a story set more than a decade after the events of the first film, the dazzling footage in the teaser trailer focuses on Jake and Neytiri and includes beautiful shots of Pandora’s brilliant blue waters – both above and below the surface; Toruk, the flying creatures introduced in the first film; and new whale-like creatures.
Recurring characters also include Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine and Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch. The film also features some well-known newcomers, including Vin Diesel and Cameron’s Titanic star Kate Winslet. Behind-the-scenes talent includes cinematographer Russell Carpenter, Cameron’s Oscar-winning Titanic DP. Avatar’s visual effects are back at Weta FX in New Zealand, again under the direction of Senior VFX Supervisor and four-time Academy Award winner Joe Letteri.
Cameron’s Avatar was released in 2009 and quickly became the highest-grossing film of all time at the worldwide box office, grossing more than $2.8 billion. It was also lauded for ushering in the 3D digital age and introducing new production tools and techniques in areas such as performance capture and virtual production. Its sequel is one of the most anticipated films of the last decade.
“We wanted to push the boundaries of what cinema can do,” Cameron said in a video message from New Zealand, where he is shooting the film. Reminding exhibitors that they are “partners,” he added, “Jon and I are here with you. We can do this.”
As in the last few years, CinemaCon sponsor Dolby has equipped the Colosseum – the main venue of CinemaCon – with immersive Dolby Atmos sound and Dolby Vision, which means that they offer the premium 4K, high-dynamic-range, high-frame The company’s installed rate- and 3D-capable laser-based projection system. This allowed the Avatar 2 filmmakers to put on quite a show.
It is expected that Cameron, Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment, along with 20th Century and Disney, will offer Avatar 2 in a variety of formats to support the breadth of theatrical installations, including the use of 3D, 4K and a high frame rate of 48 frames per second.
At CinemaCon Tuesday, John Fithian, President and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners, noted that Avatar 2 will have more versions than any other film “in the history of cinema” when it hits theaters: “We’re talking high Resolution, high frame rates, 3D, Imax, PLF, different sound systems and in 160 different languages.”
“He works very closely with our members around the world to showcase his film in the best possible way,” Fithian said. “Jim has a unique drive. He’s brilliant. There can only be a few hundred screens in there [some of the formats] but he wants [Avatar 2] on these screens. It’s time to make sure your lighting conditions are correct and everything in the picture is correct. We are excited.”
Before the release of Avatar in 2009, Cameron created more than 100 versions of results in different light levels, 2D and 3D, resolutions and sound systems. It was the most ambitious digital release at the time.
Cameron previously used CinemaCon as a platform to discuss the potential of high frame rates. The filmmaker gave a presentation at CinemaCon 2011 comparing 3D content – a medieval dinner and an action scene – projected at 24 fps, 48 fps and 60 fps. As the clips played, Cameron shared his observations, including some distracting strobe effects occurring at 24fps (which has been blamed for giving some viewers headaches when viewing 3D) and pointed to a smoother, higher frame-rate image.