'Avatar' returns to theaters this weekend in stunning 4K 3D

Promotional art for "'Avatar: The Way of Water"
Promotional art for "'Avatar: The Way of Water" (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Don't miss your chance to return to the bioluminescent blue paradise of Pandora this weekend.

Director James Cameron's long-delayed and highly-anticipated "Avatar" sequel, "Avatar: The Way of Water," will once again plunge audiences in the exotic world of Pandora when it splashes into theaters on Dec. 16, 2022. This is the first of four mega-budget sequels that are slated to be delivered every two years until 2028.

To refresh audiences' memories of the Na'vi's lush and exploited alien planet and the continuing tale of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), 20th Century Studios will re-release the original "Avatar" in theaters starting on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

Related: The spaceships and vehicles of Avatar

Avatar Extended Collector's Edition:
$17.99 at Amazon

Avatar Extended Collector's Edition: $17.99 at Amazon

This extended collector's edition of James Cameron's science fiction epic includes more than eight hours of bonus features spread across three discs.

It's been 13 years since audiences were introduced to the wonders of Pandora and the fantastical blue-skinned natives of the remote planet. Cameron's upcoming $250 million sci-fi epic takes place more than a decade after the 2009 film that broke all box office records and still reigns supreme with a total take of $2.8 billion in global ticket sales. "Avatar: The Way of Water" expands the story of the Sully clan and new dangers that complicate their Eden-like lives as they deal with the return of greedy corporate interests.

This special "Avatar" re-release takes the wrapper off the classic film's remastered 3D restoration with High-Dynamic Range imagery and 9.1 surround sound that are sure to dazzle the eyes and seduce the ears. To shed light on this new remastered version of his fantastic sci-fi epic, Cameron spoke to Slash Film regarding the fresh remaster, the allure of 3D movies and how his film employed the very latest technology to reabsorb audiences in his ambitious vision. This spruced-up edition should not be missed!

A still from "'Avatar." (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

"I would say that the 3D was generally embraced for a period of time," Cameron told Slash Film. ("Avatar" won the best cinematography with a 3D digital camera; no digital camera had ever won the best cinematography Oscar before.)

"3D appears to most people to sort of be over. But it's really not over. It's just been accepted. It's just now a part of your choices when you go to the theater to see a big blockbuster movie. I liken it to color. When color films first came out, it was a big deal. People would go to see movies because they were in color. I think around the time of 'Avatar,' people used to go to see movies because they were in 3D. I think it had an impact on how films were presented that's now just sort of accepted and part of the zeitgeist and how it's done."

Still from "'Avatar" (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver, the multiple Academy Award-winning "Avatar" travels back to multiplexes for a special limited engagement beginning on Friday (Sept. 23). 

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Jeff Spry
Contributing Writer

Jeff Spry is an award-winning screenwriter and veteran freelance journalist covering TV, movies, video games, books, and comics. His work has appeared at SYFY Wire, Inverse, Collider, Bleeding Cool and elsewhere. Jeff lives in beautiful Bend, Oregon amid the ponderosa pines, classic muscle cars, a crypt of collector horror comics, and two loyal English Setters.