Tag: 20th century studios

Avatar: The Way of Water Disney+ Hotstar OTT Release Date in India Set for June 7

Avatar: The Way of Water is set to release June 7 on Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, and Max (wherever available). The much-anticipated sci-fi sequel from James Cameron, transporting you back to the exotic lands of Pandora, will arrive a whopping 173 days after its theatrical release on December 16 worldwide. That’s almost a half-year gap between release to streaming — Disney had implemented a minimum 45-day window before movies become available on its streaming platform, Disney+. This time, the film will also be available to stream on HBO Max — soon to be ‘Max’ on May 26 — owing to an unusual streaming agreement production company 20th Century Fox made with Warner Bros.

In India — over on Disney+ Hotstar — Avatar 2 will be up for streaming in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, there is no mention of an IMAX Enhanced version, which would expand the aspect ratio, resulting in more picture on screen. That said, a 4K Ultra-HD version with Dolby Vision/ Atmos can be purchased as VOD on Apple TV, which also includes Spanish subtitles. The movie clocks in at 3 hours and 12 minutes, and currently takes the no. 3 position among the highest-grossing movies of all time, besting Cameron’s own 1997 disaster romance film, Titanic. Avatar 2 made $2.319 billion (about Rs. 19,064 crore) at the worldwide box office.

It would also seem strange for a major release as such to premiere on two streaming platforms at the same time. This has to do with the timing of the deal 20th Century Studios struck with Warner Bros. The former — under the title ‘20th Century Fox‘ — did not have a streaming platform or owner, and therefore, signed a contract to collectively stream its movies exclusively on HBO Max and Disney’s services such as Disney+ and Hulu. Even now that the studio is owned by Disney, it has to honour its deal with WB for Avatar 2 — or rather, for half of the studio’s titles through the 2022 release year.

Set 15 years after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water sees Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) as parents to five kids, thriving in the lush forests of the moon planet Pandora. A resurrected Recombinant Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and other ‘Sky People’ bring a new challenge for the family, who is forced to flee and seek help from the shoreline-dwelling Metkayina clan, who teach them the ways of the water and help prepare for the upcoming battle. The film won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, in addition to being nominated in the Best Picture category. Cameron also previously alluded to introducing the fire culture of natives in Avatar 3.

Avatar: The Way of Water is out June 7 on Disney+, Disney+ Hotstar, and HBO Max wherever available. In India, the film will be available in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

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Avatar 3, Avatar 4 Scenes Already Shot to Avoid ‘Stranger Things Effect,’ James Cameron Reveals

As Avatar: The Way of Water rides waves across theatres, director James Cameron has now coined a new phrase called “the Stranger Things effect.” Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the filmmaker claimed that certain footage for Avatar 3 and Avatar 4 was shot in tandem with the second Avatar film, in order to avoid the child actors from inevitably growing up, and showing signs of ageing. The multi-year project had to be covered in a single production, “Otherwise, you get — and I love Stranger Things — but you get the Stranger Things effect where they’re supposed to still be in high school [but] they look like they’re 27,” Cameron said.

While it was easy for leads Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña to slip into their roles whenever, it never stopped the child actors’ growth spurts. Jack Champion, who portrays Miles “Spider” Socorro, the adoptive human child of Jake Sully and Neytiri, was 14 when Avatar: The Way of Water began filming. “We shot with Jack when he was 14 and 15, almost up to 16. So we were shooting him over an 18-month period,” Cameron told EW. The actor is now an adult, he turned 18 in November. Production would continuously switch between filming scenes for The Way of Water, the entirety of Avatar 3, and act one of Avatar 4.

Avatar: The Way of Water Review: James Cameron Gives Us the Biggest ‘Video Game Movie’ Ever

Sure, performance capture could turn returning star Sigourney Weaver into a teenager, Kiri, but there are limitations to performance capture VFX. Trinity Jo-Li Bliss plays Tukt, the youngest child of Jake and Neytiri, and was cast in Avatar 2 when she was about seven years old. She’s now 13. Similarly, Bailey Bass, 19, who played the shoreline Metkayina clan’s Tsireya was about 12 when she auditioned for the sequel. While not as prominent, the effects of ageing are definitely noticeable in Netflix’s Stranger Things, where the male leads’ voices got deeper with each season. Cameron wanted to avoid that, and built on the Pandoran arc as quickly as possible, whilst leaving out a few unanswered questions at the end of each entry. “You can call it sequel bait, but I’m not trying to justify a sequel,” Cameron said in the interview. “We’ve already shot the other d–n movie. I don’t have to sell it to anybody.”

Speaking to Variety earlier this year, Avatar: The Way of Water producer Jon Landau briefly touched upon the filming process for the follow-ups in the franchise, noting that there were “logistical reasons” for the steps they took. And now we know why — to prevent the “Stranger Things effect”. Cameron also made bold claims about his Avatar universe, stating that he was even prepared to end the franchise with a trilogy if Avatar 2 underperformed.

In its first week, Avatar: The Way of Water has now surpassed the $600 million (about Rs. 5,052 crore) mark at the global box office. While its production budget hasn’t been explicitly mentioned, Cameron suggested that the film has to become “the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history, to break even.”

The notion of filming three films back-to-back never seemed daunting to Saldaña, at least from a plot and thematic standpoint. “We did read-throughs, we discussed extensively where we were, we defined those beats that distinguished [Avatar] 2 from 3,” she told EW. “So from where I was standing, I never felt that it was uncomfortable or anything, but that just has to do with the amount of time that we took in preparation for this. Jim makes you a part of the whole process and hears you. Every need that you have, he takes great attention to that detail and tries to the best of his ability to accommodate and incorporate your input.”

Avatar: The Way of Water is now playing in theatres in India, in English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu. Avatar 3 is slated to release in December 2024, followed by Avatar 4 in December 2026.

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Avatar: The Way of Water Box Office Swims Past $600 Million in a Week

Avatar: The Way of Water has now grossed $609.7 million (about Rs. 5,052 crore) at the worldwide box office. This represents commercial figures for the new Avatar movie through Thursday, reflecting strong mid-week play, following its sizeable $435 million (about Rs. 3,604 crore) collected during the opening weekend. Roughly $427 million (about Rs. 3,540 crore) has been collected from markets outside the US, including India and the all-too-rare biggest market for Hollywood since the COVID-19 pandemic, China. Within the US and Canada, James Cameron’s hotly-anticipated sequel has earned a total of $183 million (about Rs. 1,516 crore).

According to Deadline, the top 10 markets for Avatar 2 from outside the US were led by China, which earned $70.5 million (about Rs. 584 crore), with France adding $37 million (about Rs. 306 crore) to the bag. Avatar: The Way of Water performed fairly well in Korea too, adding $32.1 million (about Rs. 266 crore) to the collection. Meanwhile, Disney India announced that the film managed to pull Rs. 235 crore (about $28.3 million) in the country. Coming back to Europe, German theatres drew $26.1 million (about Rs. 216 crore) in ticket sales, while the UK poured in $21.6 million (about Rs. 179 crore).

Avatar: The Way of Water Review: James Cameron Gives Us the Biggest ‘Video Game Movie’ Ever

Beyond that, we have Brazil, where Avatar 2 has grossed $12.6 million (about Rs. 104 crore), which was slightly topped by Italy with $13.8 million (about Rs. 114 crore). Mexico has contributed $19.4 million (about Rs. 161 crore) so far, whereas Australia did Pandora business worth $15.8 million (about Rs. 131 crore).

It’s in the weeks to come when Avatar 2’s strength will be fully tested, based on how many seats it’s able to fill on a recurring basis. The original 2009 Avatar managed to collect merely $242 million (about Rs. 2,004 crore) at the worldwide box office during its opening weekend, but maintained enough hype over the months to come, to become the biggest movie of all time. Neither Disney nor 20th Century Studios have revealed the production budget for Avatar: The Way of Water, but reports suggest that it sits at around $400 million (about Rs. 3,313 crore).

In order to break even, the film has to become “the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history,” Cameron said earlier. (That’s because production budgets don’t account for marketing spends.)

For what it’s worth, Cameron has experience getting there. His 1997 disaster romance film Titanic, and J.J. Abrams’ soft reboot Star Wars: The Force Awakens have both grossed over $2 billion (roughly Rs. 16,500 crore) apiece. The hefty runtime of Avatar: The Way of Water, clocking in at 3 hours and 12 minutes, is also said to pose a challenge in driving people to theatres. Though that didn’t stop Titanic.

Avatar: The Way of Water is now playing in theatres in India, in English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu.

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Avatar: The Way of Water Has Finished Post-Production, Just Three Weeks Ahead of Release

Avatar: The Way of Water is finally complete, after six long years. Avatar 2 producer Jon Landau, who also worked on the original 2009 film, confirmed via Twitter that the “final mix and mastering” for the sequel had just been accomplished. The post-production completion comes merely three weeks ahead of the second Avatar film’s global release on December 16, including in China. Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) reacted to the news, calling Avatar 2 a “staggering achievement” that is “choke-full of majestic vistas and emotions.” It’s clear the director is among the first to see the film, which also makes this the first official review for Avatar: The Way of Water. If you can call it that.

In addition to Avatar, Landau also collaborated with director James Cameron on 1997’s Titanic, both of which went on to become the highest-grossing films of all time. Released 13 years ago, Avatar broke new ground in Hollywood with its stunning VFX, welcoming audiences to the immersive world of Pandora. The film grossed $2.9 billion (about Rs. 23,600 crore) — with the recent re-release — and won three Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, and Best Cinematography. Evidently, its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has a lot to live up to, with even Cameron raising concerns regarding profit.

Speaking to GQ Magazine, earlier this week, he noted that the film was very expensive to make and that it represented “the worst business case in movie history.” In order for it to be profitable, he said, “you have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history. That’s your threshold. That’s your break even.” The director also confirmed previously that he was prepared to end the Avatar franchise with a trilogy, in case The Way of Water underperforms. Filming for Avatar 3 — reportedly subtitled The Seed Bearer — finished with the main cast in November 2018. In an interview with Variety, producer Landau noted that the first act of Avatar 4 had already been shot as well.

Advance ticket bookings for Cameron’s hotly-anticipated sequel went live in India, earlier this week, across BookMyShow and Paytm and the official websites of major cinemas. Disney-owned 20th Century Studios also claims that Avatar: The Way of Water will witness 24 hours of shows running at select theatres, with first showings starting at 12am midnight onwards. The studio also dropped a final Avatar 2 trailer ahead of release, which saw Jake Sully’s (Sam Worthington) family forming an alliance with the coastal Metkayina clan, and connecting with the waterborne beings, for traversal.

The sequel is set more than a decade after the original film and brings back familiar faces including Zoe Saldaña as wife Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, Dileep Rao, Stephen Lang, and CCH Pounder. New additions to Avatar: The Way of Water include Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, and CJ Jones.

Avatar: The Way of Water releases December 16 in theatres worldwide. In India, the film gets additional dubs in Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu.

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Casts Jessica Jones’ Eka Darville, Locke & Key’s Kevin Durand: Report

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has reportedly cast Eka Darville and Kevin Durand, in undisclosed roles. 20th Century Studios announced the film last week, with a teaser image and a 2024 release window. Wes Ball — regarded for his work in the Maze Runner films — is attached to direct, from a script penned by a team of four. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes serves as the fourth entry in the reboot franchise, and is set years after the events of director Matt Reeves’ War for the Planet of the Apes.

The 2017 film served as a fitting end to ape Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) journey, as he passed away looking onto the horizon — ensuring a safer future for his son and his army. During his final moments, Maurice (Karin Konoval), the noble Orangutan, promised him that the child will know of Caesar’s legacy. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes begins production this month, so it’s super early to tell if this new chapter follows the offspring’s story. But what we know for sure, is that it’s a direct sequel, “picking up many years after” Caesar’s death.

Both Darville and Durand join the already confirmed cast, including Owen Teague (It), Peter Macon (Family Guy), and Freya Allan — best known for playing Ciri in Netflix’s The Witcher series.

Darville was also once part of the Netflix family, via Marvel’s Jessica Jones, before it officially switched homes to Disney+. Meanwhile, horror fans will recognise Durand as Frederick Gideon, the minor antagonist from Locke & Key. While there are no details on the former’s role in the film, Deadline’s unconfirmed sources claim that Durand will be playing a villainous ape.

Originally, Reeves (The Batman) expressed interest in making more Apes movies, with Steve Zahn’s (The White Lotus) Bad Ape, and expanding the story. However, by late 2019, he was engaged with the DC Comics film, putting Ball in control of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. As for the writing team, we’ve got Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate), Rick Jaffa (Mulan), Amanda Silver (Jurassic World), and Patrick Aison (Prey).

The Planet of the Apes film franchise dates back to 1968, with Rod Serling’s script introducing themes of the Cold War and a twist ending, which revealed planet Earth to be a nuclear wasteland. The year 2001 saw a Tim Burton remake, which never got a sequel, as the director found 20th Century Fox’s production schedule quite exhausting. The studio later revisited the franchise through Rupert Wyatt’s 2011 reboot, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which grossed $481.8 million (about Rs. 3,929 crore) globally.

Director Reeves came on board to direct the follow-ups — Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and War for the Planet of the Apes. The films made $708.8 million (about Rs. 5,778 crore) and $490.7 million (about Rs. 4,000 crore), respectively, at the worldwide box office. In our review of the third chapter, we called the Planet of the Apes reboot trilogy the best trilogy of the 2010s. Its sequel has a lot to live up to.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is slated to release sometime in 2024 in theatres worldwide.

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Avatar 4 & 5: James Cameron May Not Direct Sequels, Here’s Why

James Cameron, who has directed Avatar: The Way of Water and is already working on its sequel Avatar 3, may not return for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 as he plans to work on “some other things”. In a new interview, the Titanic​ filmmaker said that he might “pass the baton” to another director, if he is unable to fit the proposed sequels into his schedule. Cameron, however, didn’t drop any hints about who is likely to take over as director when he steps aside, which suggests that he may not have a replacement in mind right now.

Cameron told Empire: “The Avatar films themselves are kind of all-consuming. I’ve got some other things I’m developing as well that are exciting. I think eventually over time — I don’t know if that’s after three or after four — I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in. Or maybe not. I don’t know.”

The veteran director further revealed that while Avatar 3 is a lock, the fate of its sequels will depend on “market forces”. Cameron added that he, either way, hopes to make Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 as they are part of “one big story”.

While nothing is set in stone, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Cameron does indeed go down this route after Avatar 3. He had previously roped in Robert Rodriguez to direct the Rosa Salazar-led cyberpunk actioner Alita: Battle Angel. Cameron initially wanted to adapt that for the big screen, but he was tied up with Avatar: The Way of Water.

Cameron, meanwhile, is awaiting the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, which has garnered a fair deal of attention due to its nearly-wordless teaser. The sequel to 2009’s sci-fi movie Avatar is headlined by Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña who reprise their roles as Jake Sully and Neytiri, respectively, from the first film. The likes of Stephen Lang, Dileep Rao, and Matt Gerald too return as their respective characters from Avatar. Lang and Gerald interestingly feature in Avatar: The Way of Water despite the fact that their characters died in the first film.

Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Vin Diesel, and CJ Jones are the new additions to the Avatar universe.

Avatar: The Way of Water releases December 16 in India in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. The second Avatar movie will be followed by three more sequels with Avatar 3, Avatar 4, and Avatar 5 slated for December 2024, December 2026, and December 2028, respectively. Cameron may not return to direct Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.

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