Avatar Day is August 21st - 15 Minutes in Theaters for Free! Updated!http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/07/23/avatar-day-is-august-21st-15-minutes-in-theaters-for-free/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/07/23/avatar-day-is-august-21st-15-minutes-in-theaters-for-free/)
At the very highly anticipated presentation for James Cameron's Avatar this afternoon at Comic-Con, the master filmmaker himself announced an unprecedented marketing campaign unlike anything you've ever seen before - which is just like what you'll see on the screen that very day. On August 21st, Fox will take over "as many" IMAX 3D and digital 3D theaters as they can and screen 15 minutes from Avatar for free to whoever wants to see it. He's been waiting to show the world what this looks like and this is the perfect way to introduce everyone to Pandora. Having just seen footage, I can assure you, you won't want to miss this!
For those who were lucky enough to get into Hall H today in San Diego, they were treated to roughly 25 minutes of select scenes from Avatar. It started out with an introduction to Sam Worthington as Jake and then an introduction to what we'll be seeing for the remainder of the movie - his Avatar body. The bodies are actual biological beings and Jake's mind becomes a part of theirs and he, essentially, becomes this animal. These Na'vi are 10 foot tall creatures who are a pale blue color yet glow at night. This is the kind of footage you'll see on August 21st and this is the truly only way to get immersed into Cameron's amazing new world.
Update: Fox posted a full press release regarding this announcement and included a few more details. The official trailer will also arrive (online) on August 21st as part of this big promotion. "The worldwide trailer launch will be presented in all formats, including IMAX 3-D, IMAX 2-D, digital 3-D, digital 2-D, and 35mm 2-D. The trailer will also be available online. The extended (15 minute) look at Avatar will unspool only on August 21 – and only in 3-D – in select theaters and IMAX. Details on locations and reserving tickets for this extraordinary and unprecedented experience will be announced soon."
Ticket Details Announced for Avatar Day on August 21st!http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/08/12/ticket-details-announced-for-avatar-day-on-august-21st/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/08/12/ticket-details-announced-for-avatar-day-on-august-21st/)
Details on how to get tickets to see 16 minutes of footage from James Cameron's Avatar have finally been uncovered thanks to the LA Times. Starting on Monday, August 17th at Noon PST on the official Avatar website - AvatarMovie.com - Fox will be giving away first-come, first-serve tickets for free. There will be two screenings on Friday, August 21st (one at 6:00PM, the other at 6:30PM) in over 100 IMAX 3D theaters around the world. We don't have exact details on which theaters will be involved, but it looks like it'll only be in IMAX, so you better find the nearest one now. These tickets will probably go very fast on Monday.
The Avatar preview on August 21st will be in 3D and include an introduction from James Cameron and 16 minutes of footage, some of which wasn't even shown during Comic-Con. It was originally announced that they would be showing 15 minutes, but that was probably an early estimate. We're guessing that they'll also show the new trailer which hits on the 21st as well (or you'll be able to catch that online or while you're at the theater anyway). So if you don't make it into one of these showings, don't worry, you'll still be able to get a glimpse at Avatar in the trailer. This sounds like it will be a once-in-a-lifetime event - so don't miss it!
It's too big, he'll get banned if he uses that! :lol:(http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5191/avatarteaserposter.jpg)
Electronics makers jump on 3-D bandwagonhttp://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20090815a2.html (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20090815a2.html)
Major electronics makers are stepping up efforts to develop monitors and other products that can show 3-D movies and programs as Hollywood increasingly turns to the technology to churn out big hits.
TVs and Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D movies and programs are expected to hit stores next year. Fuji Film Corp. is the first to come out with digital cameras that can show pictures and video images in 3-D.
Two major U.S. theater networks have agreed to purchase high-definition digital projectors from Sony Corp. as they gear up to convert to 3-D-capable more than 10,000 of their screens in the next three to five years.
Electronics makers and movie production companies are also discussing ways to come up with a standardized format for Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D DVDs by the end of the year.
Panasonic Corp. is developing plasma TVs and Blu-ray DVD players that can show 3-D movies and programs. The products are expected to hit the shelves next spring at the earliest so that Panasonic can get a head start in this area.
Sam Worthington Apparently Signed for Two Avatar Sequelshttp://www.firstshowing.net/2009/11/30/sam-worthington-apparently-signed-for-two-avatar-sequels/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/11/30/sam-worthington-apparently-signed-for-two-avatar-sequels/)
However, this is nothing short of customary when dealing with a film on a scale like Avatar where there's even the slightest possibility for a franchise. Sam Worthington himself told Total Film (via MarketSaw): "You work 18-hour days. I was on it for 14 months. Jim's still editing. We'll still be filming it up to the day it's released — probably after the movie comes out, knowing Jim! That commitment is what makes him the man he is. It's life or death. It's war. That's how he approaches movies… We're signed for a trilogy. But I think I'll be 94 by the time it finishes, to be honest. I know Jim's got some ideas in his big head." Of course!
Big ideas indeed. But if we've learned anything in Hollywood it's that you don't have a movie until it's sitting in the can. Even if Worthington and whoever else is signed on for two more, let's recall the debacle that circled around the difficulty bringing not only director Jon Favreau back for Iron Man 2, but Robert Downey, Jr. as well. Favreau pointed out the problem with actor's contracts when a film makes money:
"[The cast of 'Iron Man'] all signed for three but it doesn't work that way. That all goes out the window when you make $100 million dollars. Because people want to have a good relationship with the people they are working with, and if they're making that kind of money, it's an understanding that they're going to negotiate."
And of course, with Avatar making a huge marketing blitz and garnering all sorts of buzz, good and bad, either the contracts will be re-negotiated after its success, or they will simply be thrown out the window if the film flops. With a potential franchise, actors sign for the following films in their initial contracts, but its the success, or lack thereof, that determines if they come to fruition. I remember back in 1998 when the cast members of Lost in Space said they were signed on for a trilogy, but obviously that didn't work out well. So now we play the waiting game until Avatar comes out in December and an official announcement is made.
After Years of Waiting, Avatar is Finally Here, Are You Ready?http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/17/after-years-of-waiting-avatar-is-finally-here-are-you-ready/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/17/after-years-of-waiting-avatar-is-finally-here-are-you-ready/)
Avatar is "the most evocative and amazing science-fiction movie since Star Wars." At least that's what Steven Spielberg said after seeing it. I was thinking of what to write about tonight, on the eve of the grand debut of James Cameron's Avatar, before everyone around the world has the chance to see it, but there's so much out there it's hard to pick and choose. But there are a few thoughts and questions still on my mind right now. Will it change movies forever? Will it even be a success? One thing I know for certain though, is that most people will love it. Not everyone, but almost everyone who has seen it so far has been blown away.
Don't believe me? Still skeptical about Avatar? Don't think James Cameron pulled it off? Well, if you don't trust Steven Spielberg, how about Roger Ebert, who gave Avatar four stars (out of four) and said in his review: "Avatar is not simply a sensational entertainment, although it is that. It's a technical breakthrough… It is an Event, one of those films you feel you must see to keep up with the conversation… It takes a hell of a lot of nerve for a man to stand up at the Oscarcast and proclaim himself King of the World. James Cameron just got re-elected." Or how about this excerpt from Manohla Dargis' review in the NY Times:
"Few films return us to the lost world of our first cinematic experiences, to that magical moment when movies really were bigger than life (instead of iPhone size), if only because we were children. Movies rarely carry us away, few even try. They entertain and instruct and sometimes enlighten. Some attempt to overwhelm us, but their efforts are usually a matter of volume. What's often missing is awe, something Mr. Cameron has, after an absence from Hollywood, returned to the screen with a vengeance. He hasn't changed cinema, but with blue people and pink blooms he has confirmed its wonder."
If you're still not convinced, or even curious yet, there's plenty more reading material out there. Katey Rich from Cinema Blend wrote up a fun list of the 5 Reasons You Must See Avatar, ending with "it is the movie of the decade." Couldn't agree with her more, on almost all of her five reasons. And Drew McWeeny's review of Avatar on HitFix is also fantastic, with quotes like this: "For now, just believe that one of our most gifted action filmmakers has once again crafted a singular experience, one that MUST be experienced on the best possible screen. Avatar is not a case of empty hype with no payoff." Even he says you won't be let down.
One thing's for sure - Avatar is not going to be a failure. I'm sure the naysayers out there will argue that one, but if you were to go to your local movie theater right now, you'd find every midnight show sold out. And this weekend's shows are almost all sold out nationwide as well. Fandango sent me an email with this stat earlier: "Avatar is outselling Star Trek in advance ticket sales." Pretty impressive considering this is an original idea and not a franchise. Oh and Anne Thompson said (via Twitter) that Avatar got a standing ovation at its Los Angeles premiere this week. Everything I've read indicates that it's set to break records.
I could sit here and point out articles and quotes for you all night, but I've got to get going so I can get a good seat at my own midnight show. I've seen Avatar once, and loved it, and I'm already planning to see it two more times this weekend. I've been a supporter since the beginning and Avatar has been a long time in the making, but it's finally here. Tomorrow the entire world will be able to experience Pandora as James Cameron envisioned it. I hope everyone is planning to see it this weekend too, if only out of curiosity. More importantly, like Ebert said, it's just one of those movies you "must see." So are you ready for Avatar?
I just came back from the movie and Oh My God, it's amazing!Thanks for the report! :thumbup
I just came back from the movie and Oh My God, it's amazing!
Seriously, I haven't seen anything like in a loooong time.
'Avatar' doesn't smash records with $3 million midnight bowhttp://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-12-18-avatar-doesn-t-smash-records-with-3-million-midnight-bow (http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-12-18-avatar-doesn-t-smash-records-with-3-million-midnight-bow)
James Cameron's latest still expect to have monster weekend
Perhaps the critical reviews and massive buzz hasn't caught up to moviegoers yet? That is most likely the reason James Cameron's "Avatar" only opened unofficially to $3 million from midnight showings last night. 20th Century Fox is not commenting on the gross yet, but is expected to release an official estimate in that range later today. The current record holder for midnight openings is last month's "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" which found $26.7 million from it's opening night. Unlike that broad debut, however, "Avatar" was in only about 2,000 screens at midnight most of which were 3-D. With a domestic theater count of 3,400 "Avatar's" overall Friday gross should be much higher. Critic's have given "Avatar" a ringing endorsement and the film has gone from being perceived as Cameron's folly to possible best picture winner. Fox did not actively market the midnight screenings, but is it possible the expected strong word of mouth hasn't reached potential audiences yet in this busy holiday season? It will make for an interesting few days of box office watching to say the least.
Snow Job: Storm Slows 'Avatar's' B.O. Roll to $73Mhttp://www.thewrap.com/article/avatar-saturday-box-office-12014 (http://www.thewrap.com/article/avatar-saturday-box-office-12014)
With snow showers and freezing temperatures paralyzing much of the East Coast, the premiere box-office total of James Cameron's highly anticipated 3D epic "Avatar" was slowed a bit, with the Fox film opening to a three-day domestic total of $73 million. That number ranks second all time in terms of December openings -- "I Am Legend," with $77.2 million on the same weekend two years ago, is No. 1 -- but it still fits Fox's business plan for a well-reviewed movie it believes will enjoy solid play on 3D screens for weeks to come.
Awesome Yuna! How was the audience size? I am guessing you went to the midnite show?
What's Next for Avatar and James Cameron: Sequels & More!http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/24/whats-next-for-avatar-and-james-cameron-sequels-more/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/24/whats-next-for-avatar-and-james-cameron-sequels-more/)
Now that James Cameron's Avatar has been out in theaters for nearly a week, it's time to look at what's next for James Cameron. And what's next for Avatar. What will we see in sequels? What will Cameron direct next? Back when Iron Man came out in '08, I wrote up a similar article looking at what's next. I loved that movie so much when I saw it that I was already anxious to see the sequel, so I pulled together some quotes and ideas and wrote up "The Future of Iron Man" (we even mentioned War Machine). With Avatar, though, there's so much more that everyone wants to hear about after seeing it. Where can they even go in a sequel?
MTV was the first to chat with James Cameron about what's next for the filmmaker. "Cameron's got plans within plans, built on top of plans and ready to spawn new plans. There are a lot of ideas, a lot of potential projects that he could pursue next." He mentions the Battle Angel movie, but MTV's Josh Horowitz says "there's still a ways to go" on Battle Angel and Cameron "wouldn't specify exactly what he's going to move onto next" anyway. So that doesn't sound like it's next. There's also Cameron's underwater drama The Dive that we've heard about before, but haven't seen anything official. What is it even about? Well, here you go:
"It is a love story, the true, tragic tale of a Cuban scuba diver and the woman he falls for." "[Dive is] quite a modestly budgeted film… This is a film about a three-way relationship. There's a man, a woman, and the ocean and they both have very different relationships with the ocean."
While he could direct The Dive next, that's not confirmed either. The only other project he talks about is the Forbidden Planet remake he was rumored to be attached to. "That's a project that I'm actively involved in, but I haven't made any decisions about it yet." Again, no dice. Maybe we should stick to Avatar? Let's find out what's up next with that, since it could get a sequel soon as well, and it's fresh on everyone's mind.
Avatar is set almost entirely on the planet Pandora, which is one of the moons that orbits a huge gas giant planet called Polyphemus. You might have noticed that there are other moons orbiting that planet and while the planet itself can't sustain life, apparently some of these other moons orbiting it can. The LA Times' Hero Complex hosted a screening of Avatar and asked Cameron about these moons. Here's his quick answer:
"We've mapped out the planet and the sky. [The planet] in Pandora's sky - it's called Polyphemus and it's the primary [planet] for a system of moons, just like in our solar system - Jupiter has 50 some moons, they're still discovering smaller ones all the time. Yea, we have some story ideas for how to branch out into other moons of the Polyphemus and the Alpha Centauri A solar system. But we gotta make some money with this movie first before we think about the sequel!"
Whoa! My first thoughts for a sequel to Avatar were about exploring the planet (or moon) of Pandora and potentially coming across other creatures and tribes and so on. But it sounds like there's not much else out there besides some unobtainium and the Omaticaya. So where can they go? To other planets (or other moons)! According to Wikipedia, Pandora is located in the Alpha Centauri solar system (which we think in real life contains numerous planets), so it sounds like they'd potentially fly around there and land on some of the other planets. I'm sure this unobtainium isn't the only material being mined in the entire Milky Way.
One of the things I originally heard about Avatar (before seeing it) was that it had a universe as beautifully crafted (and potentially expansive) as Star Wars. Obviously that's not the case, since we've only ever seen one planet, and in Star Wars they visit hundreds and hundreds of planets, but in terms of the detail on Pandora itself, they were right about that. And it's that comparison that has continually come up in my mind when thinking about where they could go next and what an Avatar sequel could be about. I do think it's one of the most amazing cinematic worlds that anyone has created from scratch this entire decade (or longer).
This is a spoiler, so watch out if you haven't seen it. Another idea that I absolutely loved in Avatar was the concept of Pandora being a network, a giant brain, that could store memories (it was also their connection to a "mother nature" of sort that seemed sentient). I'm not exactly sure how this could further be explored in sequels, but when it was first explained by Dr. Augustine in the movie, my imagination lit up with all kinds of possibilities. How does it even work? When I think of storage, I think of a harddrive. Is there a way they could view those memories from the past somehow? As we saw at the end of the movie, Eywa obviously understood what Jake Sully was asking and could control all of the non-sentient creatures on the planet.
While you're mulling over those ideas, I'm going to pull a few more quotes from another MTV article, where the video above also comes from. In that article, Cameron confirms that he won't be making a prequel and will continue to focus on the two characters we're already familiar with. "We'll follow Jake and Neytiri," he says. He's got a big idea, actually, that hasn't been revealed yet. "I have a trilogy-scaled arc of story right now, but I haven't really put any serious work into writing a script." And he won't say what it is. But moving forward, Cameron isn't concerned that it's going to take four years or more to make the next one.
"My next goal is to refine the technique, make it easier so it doesn't take as long," Cameron said. "We were doing a lot of pioneering work on 'Avatar.' It wouldn't have taken as long if we already knew exactly how to do it."
So from there, it looks like we're going to have to wait until Cameron reveals what he's doing next or talks about Avatar any more. I'm guessing we won't hear anything about a sequel again until Avatar hits Blu-Ray in 2010. Suffice it to say, though, there are a lot of possibilities for a sequel - like exploring different planets and moons in the same solar system in a trilogy-spanning story arc. You thought this movie was epic, just wait until Cameron shows you what it's like to go between different planets with the Na'vi! Cameron has not only given us so much to work with for a sequel, but he's given us a phenomenal movie on its own as well.
And last but not least, if you really want to geek out, you can actually learn the language of the Na'vi on a new website that launched: LearnNavi.org. It's not an official Fox website, but they've put together guides and dictionaries of the Na'vi language (that contains roughly 1000 words). Yep, Cameron had USC professor Paul Frommer create a real language for the Na'vi to use in Avatar. Head over to that website to learn more.
Avatar Continues to Break More IMAX Records Every Weekhttp://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/29/avatar-continues-to-break-more-imax-records-every-week/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/12/29/avatar-continues-to-break-more-imax-records-every-week/)
Hollywood has shut down for the week, so there isn't much news to report. However, James Cameron's Avatar seems to still be kicking ass at the box office, landing in the #1 this spot last weekend and topping $600 million worldwide in just over 10 days. IMAX sent out a press release last night stating that Avatar is breaking more and more IMAX records, which is impressive because The Dark Knight set the bar quite last year. "To have reached $39 million from 249 screens in just 10 days demonstrates that moviegoers clearly understand the value of experiencing Avatar in IMAX," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX.
If you haven't seen Avatar in IMAX 3D yet, it definitely is the way to see it, even though it wasn't "shot" on IMAX cameras. Although it was only "digitally re-mastered" for IMAX, it still looks incredible because of the level of detail in the visuals and 3D. The number of IMAX screens showing Avatar accounts for only 3% of it's screens overall, however approximately 12% of it's domestic revenue this past weekend ($75.7 million) was from IMAX. So it's making 12% of the revenue from only 3% of the screens. That definitely sounds like "consumers are clearly seeking out IMAX as the way to experience James Cameron's latest blockbuster." If only they could've released Titanic in IMAX, too, they would've made so much money off of that! IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond stated in the press release that "Avatar is well on its way to becoming our highest grossing Hollywood IMAX title." Bravo James Cameron, you're latest movie is a tremendous success!
Avatar Passes $1 Billion Worldwide in Revenue This Weekendhttp://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/03/avatar-will-be-passing-1-billion-worldwide-this-weekend/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/03/avatar-will-be-passing-1-billion-worldwide-this-weekend/)
He's done it again. The true cinematic "king of the world" has made another movie that has earned over $1 billion worldwide at the box office, only the fifth movie in history to ever do so. Early reports are indicating (via Variety) that James Cameron's Avatar will pass $352.1 million domestically this weekend pushing it just over the $1 billion mark worldwide in only 17 days. I don't think Titanic was even this successful, this fast, which makes me wonder. It only needs $800 million more worldwide to pass Titanic, could it happen? It took The Dark Knight 33 weeks (and a re-release) to pass the $1 billion mark in 2008. This is incredible!
Even at a local theater in Colorado (where I was for my holiday break), Avatar had sold out in IMAX some 58 consecutive times. And it will probably only start to die down tomorrow, once people start going back to work after the holidays. For reference, the only other movies in cinematic history to pass $1 billion are (in order from smallest to largest via Box Office Mojo) The Dark Knight ($1.001B), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($1.07B), Lord of the Rings: Return of the King ($1.1B), and Titanic ($1.8B). Avatar continues to break all kinds of other records, too, like "the best gross ever for a film in its third weekend."
I don't want to dig up any dirt or start any fights, but I can't help thinking of all those people who thought Avatar was going to bomb just a few weeks ago. In fact, I think there's very few people who actually thought it was going to be this successful. Even I will admit that I was concerned about how well it would do and I thought there was no way it would pass $1 billion, but it did, and much quicker than I ever imagined. I guess we all need to have more faith in James Cameron next time? Despite all the skepticism before Avatar hit theaters, James Cameron has proven once again that he is truly one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time!
Watched it yest. and man, am I the only one who got a boner watching Avatar?You just can't resist that digital blue alien ass, can ya? :lol:
Hustler To Make Porno Avatarhttp://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=26754 (http://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=26754)
The game changer just got even more blue
19 January 2010
Source: Hustler
Well, we always thought it would come (fnar), but at long, long (really long) last, a porno version of James Cameron’s Avatar is on the way.
Those mucky fiddlers over at Hustler have just announced that they will make This Ain’t Avatar XXX as part of their forthcoming line-up of porn parodies of top films and TV shows. It may not be a game-changer, but it will be a pants changer. Ahem.
Also, no word on whether it’ll be shot in 3D, although we sincerely hope not. One thing's for sure, though - it'll Kleenex up at the box office.
But we won’t just be taking on a magical journey to an exotic land where blue people roger each other rotten. We can also XXX-pect fun sexy times with This Ain’t Curb Your Enthusiasm XXX (the mind boggles at this one), This Ain’t Glee XXX and This Ain’t CSI XXX: Chatsworth.
This follows rock-hard on the heels (and other parts) of their wildly successful This Ain’t Star Trek XXX, the sequel to which will be, ahem, released in April.
Of course Empire, being a good family website, has never seen or heard of any of these films, and we’re reliably informed that if you do, you’ll go blind. But then we’ve been hearing that old wives’ tale for years and it’s never done us any ld;o298kn.
Thanks to those sexxxed-up mofos at Latino Review for the heads-up.
Chris Hewitt
Avatar Finally Passes Titanic as Highest Grossing Movie Everhttp://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/26/avatar-finally-passes-titanic-as-the-top-grossing-movie-ever/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/01/26/avatar-finally-passes-titanic-as-the-top-grossing-movie-ever/)
They said it would fail. They said this was impossible. They said this would never happen. But it did. James Cameron's Avatar has finally passed Titanic to become the highest grossing movie of all-time. Titanic held the record for over 12 years with a worldwide total of $1.843 billion (via Box Office Mojo). This past weekend, Avatar brought in $36 million domestically and $109 million internationally, and combined with Monday's revenues, that puts its worldwide total at $1.858 billion, just above Titanic. And the craziest part is that it's still playing very well. It's still making money and people are still seeing it. It's unstoppable!
While the total box office haul of Avatar is officially above Titanic's earnings, some may still argue that the premium prices of 3-D / IMAX tickets and inflation may prove that Avatar isn't actually as big of a success as Titanic or other movies. For example, on Box Office Mojo's all-time domestic gross chart that's adjusted for inflation, Avatar is only ranked #26 behind other films like The Lion King, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Star Wars, and Gone with the Wind (which is #1). However, I do believe this proves that Avatar is a phenomenal success. And not many other movies recently have come close to matching it (except for The Dark Knight).
I remember no more than six months ago thinking that Avatar wouldn't even be a success. I wasn't sure if anyone was even going to see it. But here we are, in January of 2010, watching James Cameron beat James Cameron's record. I never thought in a million years we'd see Avatar make this much money. Cameron, and 20th Century Fox, both deserve acclaim for helping achieve this kind of incredible success. Bravo, James.
We created a broad canvas for the environment of film. That's not just on Pandora, but throughout the Alpha Centauri AB system. And we expand out across that system and incorporate more into the story—not necessarily in the second film, but more toward a third film. I've already announced this, so I might as well say it: Part of my focus in the second film is in creating a different environment—a different setting within Pandora. And I'm going to be focusing on the ocean on Pandora, which will be equally rich and diverse and crazy and imaginative, but it just won't be a rain forest. I'm not saying we won't see what we've already seen; we'll see more of that as well.