James Cameron on Re-Releasing ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in Thea…James Cameron on Re-Releasing ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in Theaters: ‘This Is a Special Opportunity’

From 20th Century Studios and Lightstorm Entertainment, Disney Legend James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water - the Academy Award^®-winning box office phenomenon that grossed more than $2.3 billion globally- will be re-released in 3D exclusively in theaters starting Friday, October 3, for a one-week special engagement.

The idea to re-release the visually striking and emotionally resonant film came from Cameron himself. "I brought the idea up," Cameron said. "We did it successfully with the first film [2009's Avatar] coming out right before The Way of Water. It reminded people about the world and what they loved about an Avatar film, so why not just do that again?"

Cameron said he's excited to give audiences around the world "a rare opportunity" to revisit the world of Pandora before the December 19, 2025, release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.

"I don't want to convey the message that you need to see The Way of Water in order to understand Fire and Ash. Fire and Ash is a fully formed storytelling unit on its own; you don't need to do your homework," he said. "But if you want to experience it fully, absolutely go and see The Way of Water first. Take your friends, get them familiarized with what it is that moved you and makes you want to see Fire and Ash. It's been a little under three years since [The Way of Water] has been available to see in a movie theater, in [Dolby^®] Atmos sound, in 3D, on the big screen. This is the kind of film that wants to be seen that way. Maybe someone who was a little too young to see it then can now see it for the first time."

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water tells the story of the Sully family - from the trouble that trails them and the lengths they go to keep each other safe to the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they overcome. Upon its release, the film was nominated for four Academy Awards^®, became the third highest-grossing film of all time worldwide, and also set a new standard for visual effects.

The film reaches new heights and explores the undiscovered depths of Pandora, led by returning stars Sam Worthington as Jake, Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Kiri, and Stephen Lang as Quaritch, with Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet joining the cast as Tonowari and Ronal, respectively. The film also introduces Britain Dalton as Lo'ak, Jamie Flatters as Neteyam, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuk, Bailey Bass as Tsireya, and Jack Champion as Spider.

"It's a grand adventure. It's beautiful, it's compelling, it's heart-wrenching - it's all those things we want from a movie. It's a kind of mega experience," Cameron said. "Somebody said to me that Avatar movies are like the circus coming to town; it doesn't happen that often, and you want to participate. I thought, 'Wow, that's really cool.' I love to be an artist and work with great artists to create something special that comes into people's lives. The theatrical marketplace is very crowded… It's hard to squeeze in time for a movie that was released three years ago, so this is a special opportunity. I hope people take advantage of it."

With a laugh, Cameron added, "I'll certainly go see it!"