Release of Avatar

Avatar is a science-fiction film written and directed by James Cameron, set in the 22nd century on Pandora, a lush moon inhabited by the blue-skinned Na'vi. It follows Jake Sully, a paralysed former marine played by Sam Worthington, who takes part in a human programme that links minds to Na'vi-like bodies, and who comes to side with the native people against a mining company that wants to exploit the moon's resources. The film pioneered the use of performance capture and digital 3D, and it was released in 2009 to enormous popular success. It became the highest-grossing film in history for several years, and re-releases later restored its position. Sequels followed, beginning with The Way of Water in 2022.

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