More than a decade after TITANIC, James Cameron returned to narrative filmmaking with a film that many doubted would succeed. The year was 2009, and AVATAR was a massive gamble: a wildly expensive, original sci-fi epic that leaned heavily on unproven technology and an entirely digital world.
But Cameron once again proved the doubters wrong.
In this episode, we trace the full story of AVATAR — from the seed of the idea back in the 1990s, to the development of its revolutionary 3D technology and performance capture, to its box office domination and long-term cultural impact. We’ll explore how Cameron made the most expensive movie ever feel like a sure thing, and how AVATAR changed the future of filmmaking (whether Hollywood was ready for it or not).
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.
