14 DAY TRIAL // “Avatar” has been 10 years in the making and has reportedly cost about $300 million, most of which went into cutting-edge technology and not on paying the salaries of highly bankable actors. It’s the first film of director James Cameron since the blockbuster “Titanic” and it’s poised to write an entirely new page in film history. Judging by the official trailer released hours ago, that’s a promise “Avatar” will try to make good on.
At this year’s Comic-Con in San Diego, Cameron presented viewers with a 24-minute segment of the film, just to give them a taste, as well as an explanation for why it took him so long to finally wrap up the project. Today, a 15-minute clip will run in theaters across the world (102 screens domestically and 342 internationally, according to a statement from Fox), including footage that was not shown at Comic-Con. Until then, though, fans have a 2-minute trailer to enjoy, courtesy of Apple.
The moment the trailer hit the Internet, fans became vocal about it: most of them were psyched to finally see the first results of such hard work and such a long time of hype (“Avatar” is undeniably one of the most mediated and anticipated productions in years), while others remained indifferent, saying they had expected more for the money and the time that went into it. Others, according to MTV, summing up the Tweets on the topic, were too psyched about getting the trailer to actually pay attention to it. However, the bottom line is that the reaction is mostly good.
Starring newcomer Sam Worthington (“Terminator: Salvation”), Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang, “Avatar” portrays the clash of two worlds, one beautifully alien (and blue) and the other extremely violent (mankind). An “unlikely” hero is caught between the two, as the paraplegic character played by Worthington embodies an avatar to explore the magical planet of Pandora, and is expected to engage on one side or another.
“Avatar” will be released 3D, which is why it took Cameron so long to wrap up the product. According to his previous statements, he actually developed the technology needed for the film as work on it progressed, and refused to compromise the idea he had to settle for the technology he had. Thus, he came up with “the ultimate immersive media.” “The irony with Avatar is that people think of it as a 3D film and that’s what the discussion is. But I think that, when they see it, the whole 3D discussion is going to go away... That’s because, ideally, the technology is advanced enough to make itself go away. That’s how it should work. All of the technology should wave its own wand and make itself disappear.” Cameron told the media in an older interview.
Click here for the new “Avatar” trailer.