How ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Achieved Those Epic Aquatic Visual Effects

The team behind Avatar: The Way of Water‘s long-expected Oscar win for Visual Effects learned first-hand how committed Academy officials and show producers are to keeping things moving.

Missing the moment. James Cameron skipped the 2023 Oscars on Sunday, March 12, despite his film Avatar: The Way of Water being up for Best Picture.

Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver are looking so chic on the red carpet.

American music star Chris Brown is entertaining thousands of fans in Manchester this week at his three huge AO Arena gigs. And after the opening night show on Thursday, he decided to continue the party at one of the city's swankiest celeb haunts.

Spotify CFO Paul Vogel said the company’s decision several weeks ago to cut 6% of its global workforce was a “a real positive” in terms of the company being willing to take a hard look at its operations and “evolve.”

The newest entry in the “Avatar” franchise will hit digital retailers soon.

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water will be available from all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu and Movies Anywhere on March 28.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” broke box office records when it was released this past Christmas, and after months at the theater, the sequel is finally hitting home video. The movie will be available from all major digital retailers (including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu and Movies Anywhere) beginning on March 28.Unlike other blockbusters, the movie will premiere on digital retailers before streaming or physical media (my kingdom for a 4K Blu-ray).

J. Kim Murphy “The Way of Water” has no beginning and no end — even in your living room! James Cameron’s long awaited “Avatar” sequel has finally set a digital platform release date. The sci-fi epic will be available to purchase on March 28, setting course for Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu and Movies Anywhere.

Fandom’s “Oscars According to Fans” survey reports that “Avatar: The Way of Water” takes the Oscar for Best Picture over “Top Gun: Maverick” if it were up to fans.James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel was the favorite of 15 states — such as Washington, Oklahoma, Illinois, New York and Alabama — while Tom Cruise’s equally long-awaited sequel took second place as the top film in 13 states including California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, North Carolina and Maine among others.“Elvis” came in third place for fan votes to win Best Picture. Austin Butler’s portrayal of Elvis was the fan favorite of 9 states including Arizona, Mew Mexico, Minnesota and more, with 36% of voters picking him to win the Oscar for the Best Actor.

Jeremy Fassler Film editor David Brenner, who died in the middle of work on the Oscar-nominated “Avatar: The Way of Water,” never shied away from a challenge. Ahead of the American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards, directors Zack Snyder and James Cameron remembered Brenner and his celebrated career. Throughout a career spanning more than four decades, Brenner worked alongside some of the most technically demanding directors in Hollywood, from Oliver Stone to Cameron. But whether he was editing an alien invasion in “Independence Day” or a Vietnam veteran leading an antiwar protest in “Born on the Fourth of July” (for which he won an Academy Award), he always found the humanity of his subjects.

Mike Vogel‘s Sex/Life character Cooper Connelly deals with marriage trouble throughout the series, but he’s happily married in real life!

Daron James Along with its record setting box office numbers and four Oscar nominations, “Avatar: The Way of Water” brings a “Metkayina” wave of impressive next-gen technology that will undeniably set new industry standards in motion capture, animation and underwater photography.  The original facial motion capture rig that also impressively immersed Andy Serkis as Gollum and Caesar, received an overhaul. Not only physically but also in the way the software replicates a performance.  “We looked at how the muscles in the face, eyes and lips are all related and created a neural network that maps all the connections between them,” says senior VFX supervisor Joe Letteri. “This gave us this sympathetic motion in the actor’s face which allowed us to translate the performance to the character and make each frame more believable.” 

Indian streamer SonyLIV has announced an adaptation of Agatha Christie detective novel The Sittaford Mystery, which marks director Vishal Bhardwaj’s debut on a streaming series. 

Naman Ramachandran Agatha Christie’s “The Sittaford Mystery” will be adapted as “Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley” for streamer SonyLIV by renowned Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. Set in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, northern India, the series will follow the journey of Charlie Chopra and her quest to uncover a mystery. Bhardwaj will serve as director and co-producer and co-screenwriter alongside Anjum Rajabali and Jyotsna Hariharan. The cast includes Wamiqa Gabbi, Priyanshu Painyuli, Naseeruddin Shah, Neena Gupta, Ratna Pathak Shah, Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Chandan Roy Sanyal and Paoli Dam. Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures will produce with Priti Shahani’s Tusk Tale Films in association with Agatha Christie Limited. Bhardwaj’s film franchise based on the works of Christie was announced in 2020.

Streaming consumption has edged out broadcast and cable viewing multiple times over the past year in Nielsen’s monthly reports. Yet in the contracts between Hollywood studios and unions, it is still classified as new or emerging media whose residuals pale in comparison to those from the traditional, linear networks.

Global blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water was named Best Film today at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts’ 12th annual AACTA International Awards. See the full list of film and TV winners below.

Leaning on each other! Kylie Jenner revealed she’s been turning to “favorite” sister Kim Kardashian for advice amid their respective breakups.

An urgent 'do not swim' warning has been issued at a UK beach for an entire year after dangerous levels of bacteria were found in the water. Faecal matter has been uncovered at St Mary's Bay on Romney Marsh in Kent by the Environment Agency and swimmers are now being told to stay away throughout 2023.

James Cameron truly is king of the box office.