Avatar: The Way of Water Trailer Breakdown: The Complete Theatre Experience for the Viewers
James Cameron, in sharp contrast, relies nearly entirely on intuition. Even though there are some excitingly dynamic views, the trailer is not particularly action-packed. Rather, it puts the film’s grandiose visuals front and center and immerses the audience in Avatar’s indisputably strong sapphire and emerald color palette, which is significantly brighter than anything else in contemporary cinema (outside animation, at any rate).
The trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiered on Good Morning America and online on Wednesday, but it was made specifically for audiences to see in cinemas, as nearly all moviegoers will be doing in the next week when they see the film.
The fact that Avatar, the highest-grossing movie of all time, has virtually no cultural impact is a running joke. The plot is largely forgotten by me after 13 years. I do, however, recall the emotion I felt when viewing it, and it is this emotion that the new trailer is trying to capture.
James Cameron is a cinematic populist with a keen eye for what will resonate with audiences. His latest film, Avatar: The Way of Water, is an example of his commitment to an undiluted utopianism that is decidedly out of style. The parched wastes of Dune, the damp miserablism of The Batman, and the coolly desaturated hyperrealism of Christopher Nolan’s films are all examples of visually spectacular but dystopian settings. In Marvel movies, on the other hand, the people get more attention than in the often-dark settings.
How long has it been since you saw a movie that truly transported you to a place of breathtaking beauty? From what we can tell from the teaser, Avatar: The Way of Water is an engrossing natural history documentary set on an unknown planet. That spot is perfect for getting lost for a few hours.
Cameron, like every independent director who isn’t working with a huge IP factory, has to combat the “I’ll just watch it at home” mindset and attract people into theatres to see their films. Like Nolan and producer-stars like Tom Cruise, this goes beyond making a profit by filling theatres; it’s a matter of faith for him. This year, Cruise won with Top Gun: Maverick, which had a nostalgic feel, a clear story, and a good show.
The time has come for Cameron to take center stage. To overcome the difficulty of attracting spectators, he is employing all the technological means at his disposal, from 3D and IMAX to high frame rates. (The Way of Water is apparently being released in more variants than any film before it.)
However, while the technology itself may be complicated, the sales pitch is quite straightforward. He is aware that half the globe saw Avatar and that they have not seen anything like it since. Here is their chance to experience it once again, because they can never do so at home.
