Disney has pushed all Avatar and Star Wars films back a year and removed Mulan from the Calendar

[DisneyPigFan]

Avatar was HUGE when it came out -- even in the U.S. It was the top grossing film OF ALL TIME domestically for nearly a decade. Held that record for a little longer worldwide (dethroned by Avengers Endgame I believe... so it's still no. 2 all time in the world).

Lots of people were talking about it and saw it in IMAX -- groundbreaking visual effects for the time.

Just... people really quickly forgot about it. It had no staying power once it was out of theaters. Kind of a derivative plot (Fern Gully, Dances with Wolves, etc, etc). Didn't help that there was no quick followup. And here we are 11 years later and the long awaiting sequels delayed yet again!

Disney's Pandora land has really breathed new life and interest into the movie though. Such a well done land.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Avatar's audience here were mostly the devotees who saw it over and over in IMAX 3D. There was actually some talk at the time about fans who became clinically depressed because Pandora wasn't real and they couldn't go there.

It is odd that, despite all the money it made, it never spawned a mainstream fandom like Star Wars or Harry Potter did. None of its dialogue ever became a catchphrase, and most people couldn't name even one of its characters.

They'll probably do a rerelease of the first movie before the sequel comes out, just to get it back into the public consciousness.

well, as you said it was the visual effects at the time that made it such a success. Visual effects make for a short term HUGE sales factor "OMG, you HAVE to see the movie I just saw! It will blow your mind!". What helped was that it was at the very head of the 3D movie era phase (not the cheap red/blue 3D glasses we all got from the back of comic books, but real, stunning visual 3D imagery).

The plot did not have staying power mainly because it was too pushing of an environmental message, and it MADE NO SENSE. What held things like Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Stargate, etc staying power is the story.

 

[BrianL]

The plot did not have staying power mainly because it was too pushing of an environmental message, and it MADE NO SENSE. What held things like Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter, Stargate, etc staying power is the story.

Well, it made about as much sense as any of those other sci-fi franchises you mention. I mean, Star Wars doesn't make much sense either if you dissect it. Avatar had a good story, but it wasn't groundbreaking or anything - a tad predictable. It laid a good foundation though, and if we had gotten three sequels by now I think it would still be very big.

 

[YesterDark]

Avatar was great, I saw it twice. The story was decent, you don't need to be super creative with the overall plot direction to make it fun. Star Wars is all derivative hero journey stuff, but the characters are awesome. It was also followed up on without a thousand years in between.

If they had come out with another movie within 4-5 years it would have had a great chance of being something bigger.

 

[BrianL]

Avatar was great, I saw it twice. The story was decent, you don't need to be super creative with the overall plot direction to make it fun. Star Wars is all derivative hero journey stuff, but the characters are awesome. It was also followed up on without a thousand years in between.

If they had come out with another movie within 4-5 years it would have had a great chance of being something bigger.

I still think they can get it back - I mean, I wouldn't bet agianst James Cameron, but they did lose momentum. Avatar is still well-regarded, especially outside of the US.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Yep, Avatar was great for the animation tech, and it looked pretty.
But it became a movie with a message, which almost always doesn't bode well for a franchise.

Also once I realized it was based off an author's novel, and not heavily marketed for the average person to understand that, I was less excited about the film/s. James Cameron makes awe-inspiring movies BUT he doesn't love sharing the credit with others...

I liked the book better. I always do.

 

[jknezek]

Yep, Avatar was great for the animation tech, and it looked pretty.
But it became a movie with a message, which almost always doesn't bode well for a franchise.

Also once I realized it was based off an author's novel, and not heavily marketed for the average person to understand that, I was less excited about the film/s. James Cameron makes awe-inspiring movies BUT he doesn't love sharing the credit with others...

I liked the book better. I always do.

Which book? And which of these ideas ripped off the one before? It's kind of hard to go with one. More than anything else, I think of it as Dances With Wolves in space, but it's probably most similar to Call Me Joe.

But the sheer list of possibilities tells you it's simply a common trope.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-complete-list-of-sources-avatars-accused-of-ripping-5460954

 

[BrianL]

Yep, Avatar was great for the animation tech, and it looked pretty.
But it became a movie with a message, which almost always doesn't bode well for a franchise.

Every movie ever made has some kind of message, some are simpler than others though. Star Wars is very much against fascism, which is a message, but most people agree with it so it doesn't get noticed. When you approach a divisive topic though, then people complain when they don't agree with it.

 

[BrianL]

Which book? And which of these ideas ripped off the one before? It's kind of hard to go with one. More than anything else, I think of it as Dances With Wolves in space, but it's probably most similar to Call Me Joe.

But the sheer list of possibilities tells you it's simply a common trope.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-complete-list-of-sources-avatars-accused-of-ripping-5460954

Yeah, I mean it has some of those tropes, but the claims that it ripped off Dances With Wolves or whatever aren't really fair. They're shorthand ways of criticizing the movie. If Avatar is just Dances with Wolves, Pocahontas, or Ferngully, then why isn't Pocahontas "just Dances With Wolves?" It's just a way of bashing it without being critical. Avatar also has a lot of unique elements, chief among them the dichotomy of Jake's real-life in a broken body versus his dream-world, and the switch between the too. I remember feeling palpable disappointment in one of the "wake-up" scenes as his world became so bland. That's great filmmaking, even if the overall plot is a bit cliche.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

The Winds Of Altair by Ben Bova and Call Me Joe by Poul Anderson

 

[YesterDark]

I still think they can get it back - I mean, I wouldn't bet agians tJames Cameron, but they did lose momentum. Avatar is still well-regarded, especially outside of the US.

I don't doubt that at all. It's just a bigger lift to regain momentum.

 

[randumb0]

I've been waiting on Avatar 2 for a long time. This is very disappointing

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

Unpopular Opinion: I don't care one way or another if they make another Avatar movie I feel like I was one of the only people who saw it in theaters that wasn't enthralled by it. The dialogue was banal, the story was forgettable and the whole thing just left me feeling "meh." I'm wondering how they're going to fold the new water-centric Avatar movie into Pandora, but I'm sure the Imagineers will figure it out.

I find it weird that they're taking Mulan off the slate entirely but I think it has more to do with the Hong Kong protests than the virus.

 

[BrianL]

Unpopular Opinion: I don't care one way or another if they make another Avatar movie I feel like I was one of the only people who saw it in theaters that wasn't enthralled by it. The dialogue was banal, the story was forgettable and the whole thing just left me feeling "meh." I'm wondering how they're going to fold the new water-centric Avatar movie into Pandora, but I'm sure the Imagineers will figure it out.

I find it weird that they're taking Mulan off the slate entirely but I think it has more to do with the Hong Kong protests than the virus.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, most people I know felt the same way you did. Avatar did not really catch here in the US. Personally, I left the movie feeling like I had just seen something very special and wonderful, and it sits on my list of the few movies to really do that. I love everything about it, but I feel like I have the unpopular opinion.

 

[jade1]

Unpopular Opinion: I don't care one way or another if they make another Avatar movie

Same.

Can't see it living up to the Land in AK, now that we can experience Pandora in real life.

Weirdly it had the same full moon as here though.

 

[BrianL]

Same.

Can't see it living up to the Land in AK, now that we can experience Pandora in real life.

Weirdly it had the same full moon as here though.

View attachment 515620

Beautiful picture!

 

[jade1]

Beautiful picture!

Well thanks. Nights at WDW are our Fave.

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

Well, if it makes you feel any better, most people I know felt the same way you did. Avatar did not really catch here in the US. Personally, I left the movie feeling like I had just seen something very special and wonderful, and it sits on my list of the few movies to really do that. I love everything about it, but I feel like I have the unpopular opinion.

I understand the love for it 100%. It was a beautiful movie. And I geeked out over Flight of Passage just like everyone else!

 

[coaster32]

Avatar's audience here were mostly the devotees who saw it over and over in IMAX 3D. There was actually some talk at the time about fans who became clinically depressed because Pandora wasn't real and they couldn't go there.

It is odd that, despite all the money it made, it never spawned a mainstream fandom like Star Wars or Harry Potter did. None of its dialogue ever became a catchphrase, and most people couldn't name even one of its characters.

They'll probably do a rerelease of the first movie before the sequel comes out, just to get it back into the public consciousness.

All anyone talked about was the special effects.......the story was very basic at its core, nothing special......just the whole 3D thing being special is why it was a hit.....

 

[BrianL]

All anyone talked about was the special effects.......the story was very basic at its core, nothing special......just the whole 3D thing being special is why it was a hit.....

I certainly talked about more than the special effects. I still love the film.