James Cameron has once again outdone himself with Avatar 2: The Way of Water, at least as far as the quality of the effects is concerned. The sci-fi sequel was released 13 years after the first Avatar film and set new standards that would make the competition’s knees tremble.
On Thursday, July 6th, Avatar 2 will finally be released on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Disc in Germany. Anyone who wants to watch the film in the best possible quality at home now has the opportunity.
Sci-fi expert James Cameron returns to Pandora
Avatar: The Way of Water takes place 16 years after the events of the first film. Luckily we didn’t have to wait that long for the sequel. Ex-human soldier Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Na’vi rebel Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) have now built their own small family in the forests of the planet Pandora. The idyll is in danger, because the greedy people reach for the (animal) raw materials of the distant world.
Villain Quaritch (Stephen Lang) died in the first part, but returns as a Na’vi clone in The Way of Water. He makes himself on the hunt for rebel leader Jake, which is why he and his family must seek refuge with a tribe that lives in harmony with the sea creatures of Pandora. Jake, Neytiri and their children must learn to survive in the underwater world as Quaritch closes in on them.
Disney
Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water home theater editions at a glance:
If you want to spend less and missed the film in the cinema, you can currently watch it with a Disney + * streaming subscription.
Next week, part 1, Avatar – Departure for Pandora, will be released in 4K Ultra HD quality in the home cinema (at Amazon *).
3 years of shooting, 350 million dollars and a world record
“Never shoot with animals, children or on water” – this is an old adage from the film business. Titanic and Terminator director James Cameron didn’t let that stop him (again). On Avatar: The Way of Water, he decided against simulating underwater footage in conventional studio settings (as was done with Little Mermaid and Aquaman), but actually let his actors film underwater.
Performers such as Kate Winslet, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana spent their filming time in giant water tanks. To make matters worse, Cameron not only had to film his stars in the water, but had them appear on camera as blue Na’vi. Avatar 2 is because of that the first film to use performance capture suits underwater, so that the exterior could be digitally altered afterwards. Titanic actress Kate Winslet also set a record for the longest dive for a film scene.
To avoid aging its young cast and save money otherwise, The Way of Water was co-produced with the as-yet-untitled sequel Avatar 3, similar to franchises like Back to the Future, The Matrix and Pirates of the Caribbean in the past. Including a break due to the coronavirus pandemic, filming took place between 2017 and 2020, followed by extensive post-production. The double production is said to have cost between 350 and 400 million dollars, although part 3 is far from finished.
Avatar 3 will officially be released in German cinemas on December 17, 2025.