Avatar 2. [Source: 1News]
Avatar 2 has been described as putting New Zealand back on the world stage, as James Cameron and his team try and replicate the dizzying heights the first movie reached thirteen years ago.
It’s been a long time between visits to the world of Pandora, but the sequel, The Way of the Water, is set ten years after the original and focuses more on a new generation of children.
Actors Sam Worthington (Jake Sully) and Zoe Saldana (Neytiri) have returned but are also joined by high-profile names including Kate Winslet who famously said she would never work with James Cameron again after Titanic.
But Winslet told 1News it was her character that brought her back.
“Jim [James Cameron] has an ability to create roles that are quite commanding and central to the plot and not only are they strong figures but they’re resilient and physically very capable,” said Winslet.
Her character Ronal is part of the new Metkayina clan, staring tribal leader Cliff Curtis, and is heavily inspired by Māori and Pasifika culture.
Kiwis and Weta Workshop were at the heart of the ground-breaking movie with its underwater technology.
Visual Effects Supervisor Eric Saindon told 1News the film couldn’t have been done until this point as the technology didn’t exist, and Weta has been pushing the boundaries to get this film over the line.
Across Avatar 2, and it’s sequels 3 and 4, more than $770 million has been spent in New Zealand over the last five years.
But the company has also received around $150 million in return thanks to New Zealand’s tax rebate which is currently under review.
Producer Jon Landau said Avatar “would not be [in NZ] if it wasn’t for the tax incentive” and the movie has supported the local economy including bringing in food trucks to feed its crew during lockdown.
“A different food cart every night when they were out of business, and they would feed 400 people,” he said.
Avatar is one of the most expensive films ever made, costing nearly $400 million.
And with a delayed release on streaming services, creators will be hoping viewers watch it in theatres and get the whole 3D cinematic experience.
