No, it's not the sequel, but viewers might get a chance to head back into the theater for more Avatar as early as this summer.
The Hollywood Reporter says that James Cameron and FOX are in negotiations to re-release Avatar in theaters late in the summer to make up for what they speculate was millions lost to being bumped from screens to make way for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. To add some incentive, up to 40 minutes of new footage could be added to the film, which could draw audience members back to Pandora. (Read our review of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland)
We'll just call it Avatar 1.5
Before Alice, Avatar was still dominating in 4,215 North American theaters, plus 197 IMAX theaters. But after Wonderland showed up, Avatar's count dropped to 667 theaters, and eight IMAX theaters. It's no wonder that Cameron feels slighted, but will Avatar part ll push other summer blockbusters off screens before their time? Probably. Though installation of 3D screens is on the rise, there are still only a limited number available, leaving the hottest 3D contenders to duke it out over screen time.
We saw as Cameron got little love from Oscar last weekend, and we're wondering if this will just fuel the spite.
(More on Techland: James Cameron Says Hollywood Doesn't Get Avatar's Success)
FORTY EXTRA MINUTES? Good lord, no way on Earth would I sit through that movie again at 3 hours and 10 minutes. It looked great, the action was fun but when things weren't being chased or blown up the movie's story barely carried it along. And realistically, the final battle where there was a lot of chasing and blowing up was probably too long also.
If Cameron feels that slighted he and the studios should be working to get theaters to add more IMAX screens. REAL IMAX screens, not those fakey "we took out the front 5 rows and moved the screen forward" ghetto IMAX screens...
charlieromeobravo
Mar. 12, 2010 14:00pm
I could stand for more Avatar.
figerrific
Mar. 12, 2010 16:45pm
okay real talk here
did you enjoy avatar? i went in not knowing fully what to expect and i felt like i really saw something new. and i felt like my $15 was totally worth it.
now would i see it again? probably not
so the majority of the people i think would say that they had a good time at avatar
and yes avatar made a lot of money and it felt like it was over-hyped
but i also feel a lot of people are opposing the movie for the mere reason of opposing
what if avatar crashed and burned at the box offices? would people still be so inclined to judge it negatively as an over-hyped film?
james cameron is an innovator, and he told a good story using brand new technology. the movie didnt make me think about life in a brand new way but it entertained a good majority of the world.
i'm always ready to jump on the band wagon of someone that truly believes in the project.
just because you're opposing the masses doesn't make you right (you is used generally here)
Emma
Mar. 13, 2010 02:36am
My God. Why the hell do they think that adding forty minutes would be an audience draw? One generation of moviegoers would enter the theater, and the next generation would come out with some of the long-lived survivors of the original audience tottering along behind. There's no way I'd go to Avatar again even if they took twenty minutes of the boring, non-pretty poor storytelling out, but there's NO WAY I'd go if it was three and a half hours, and I doubt that anybody else except for the most dedicated Avatards would either.
Also, James Cameron needs to shut up. The dude's sitting on a pile of money from having the 'most successful' film in recent memory, and he's complaining that he's had his number of theaters reduced after a THIRTEEN WEEK run, fully TEN of which were spent in the number one spot at the box office. He doesn't have anything to complain about.
tereglith
Mar. 14, 2010 16:19pm
Having purchased the extend-o-cuts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and subsequently producing members of the next generation of my family, I now find myself firmly believing that brevity is close to godliness, and discretion truly is the better part of valor. Please, for the love of God, do not make any longer cuts of the films! I have only seen Avatar once because I cannot commit to the duration! Adding forty minutes is just a form of mocking!
pasteeater
Mar. 15, 2010 09:04am