James Cameron's "Avatar" to open in IMAX 3D

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November 6, 2008


Imax Corp. and 20th Century Fox have pacted to release James Cameron's Christmas 2009 tentpole "Avatar" on Imax 3-D screens at the same that it opens in conventional 3-D theaters.

Fox said deal allows "Avatar" to be released in all available theatrical formats.

"Our goal with 'Avatar' is to revolutionize live-action 3-D moviemaking, and I have no doubt that it will look and sound incredible in Imax 3-D," Cameron said in endorsing the move.

Cameron and Jon Landau's Lightstorm Entertainment are producing the big-budget tentpole, which unspools in theaters Dec. 19.

The pic reportedly follows "a paralyzed former marine who undergoes an experiment to exist as an avatar, another version of himself. The avatar is not paralyzed, but is an alien — 10 feet tall and blue." The film "pits a human army against an alien army on a distant planet, using live actors and digital technology to make a large cast of virtual creatures who convey emotion as authentically as humans."

Fox prexy of distribution Bruce Snyder said showing "Avatar" in Imax theaters gives the consumer the entire spectrum of choice.

This summer, many people saw Warner Bros.' "The Dark Knight" both in regular theaters and in Imax locations.

Next year brings a multitude of 3-D releases, in addition to "Avatar," although there still aren't enough digital 3-D screens in conventional theaters to sustain that amount of product.

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James Cameron’s Avatar celebrated its world premiere tonight in London, and played to critics at worldwide press screenings. 20th Century Fox implemented a strict embargo on all reviews, but a few outlets ignored the non-disclosure agreement online before the studio caved and started allowing formal reactions.

They’re comfortable with the discussion because its overwhelmingly positive. Seven official reviews posted to RottenTomatoes already, and every single one gives it a “fresh” rating.

UK trade papers The Sun and The Guardian rushed to be the first to break the rules (before they slackened). The former is more of a tabloid outlet, but a line at the bottom reads, “The only reason that Avatar won’t top Titanic at the box office is that there are not enough digital screens around the world to show it in all its 3D wonder.“ The latter acknowledged the breach, but added, “the terrible film that some had been anticipating had not materialised.”

The Hollywood Reporter’s review, one of the first published in the U.S., received so much traffic it crashed their website for a short time. The site is still sluggish, but the glowing review reports, “Every bit of technology in Avatar serves the greater purpose of a deeply felt love story” before posing the question “How will Cameron ever top this?”

Variety, now firmly behind a brand new pay wall, offers a bit of free advice. “Twelve years after Titanic, which still stands as the all-time B.O. champ, Cameron delivers again with a film of universal appeal that just about everyone who ever goes to the movies will need to see.”

Empire says “Avatar is an astonishing feast for the eyes and ears, with shots and sequences that boggle the mind” and the “level of detail is simply amazing.”

If you’d rather your reviews in bite-sized, 140-character reactions here are a few Tweets from web types I respect:


(THE Simon Pegg from Shaun of the Dead) @simonpegg: “Avatar …………………… tweetless. Just tweetless in the best possible way.” Later he added, “Just left the party. The movie is a game changer. Still buzzing. Tweet over.”

(Neil Miller from Film School Rejects) @rejects: “I’m not supposed to talk about Avatar… That said, it was a spectacular experience. Like nothing I’ve seen before.”

(Peter S. Hall from HorrorsNotDead.com) @petershall “The AVATAR buzz is an understatement. That movie was unbelievable.”

(Chase Whale from GordonandtheWhale.com) @chasewhale: “Just finished AVATAR. Special effects were top notch. The movie ran a little long for my likings but I liked it!”

(Aint It Cool News’ C. Robert Cargill) @massawyrm: “ It was pretty great…if by pretty great I mean OMFGHOLYFUCKINGSHITOMGOMGOMG. Because that’s what it was.”

(Peter Sciretta from /Film) @slashfilm I’m not allowed to say anythng about what I thought of Avatar, but saw it in a screening room with neill blomkamp, who didn’t sign an NDA. He loved it… I will say this, it’s hard to disagree with Neil :)

Look, I could go on posting Twitter reactions, but they all seem to suggest the same thing. James Cameron has done it again.