“Avatar” has returned! No, not the cartoon with that bald kid with the arrow on his head. That’s right, James Cameron’s Avatar film from 2009 is back in theaters. This special occasion celebrates the release of the long-awaited sequel, “Avatar: The Way of the Water,” to be released to theaters on Dec. 16, 2022. 

A film being re-released to the public is an incredibly special thing, and not just with “Avatar.” With the re-release of this cult classic, theaters will certainly be booming and busy as the #1 highest grossing film returns.  

“We just showed “E.T.” and “Jaws” in the IMAX a couple months ago and that was a lot of fun,” AMC Theater Manager Alex Peterson said. “We got a bunch of the older crowd and they’re showing these movies to their families who haven’t seen them before.” 

This movie means so much to some people, and it’s return to theaters has helped its nostalgic value for a lot of its viewers. It is an event that has brought families together to enjoy this film. 

“We always remember going and seeing Avatar in 3D, and always wishing that they had been able to be there and see it,” Father and moviegoer Jess Horsley said, “When it came out with the re-release, we thought we had to take the two youngest, and I’m glad we did, it was just as beautiful the second time.” 

Going to see a movie in theaters is all about the experience. Now, with streaming as an option, it’s rare to see people see a film in theaters these days.  

“As a filmmaker I see the return of the original Avatar film in theaters as a big move on the studios part,” local independent filmmaker Brandon Fiscus said, “We live in the age of streaming, and they decided to chance another outing in theaters. Bold move and technically a safe one too, since the film garnered huge box office… what’s a little more?” 

One cannot talk about “Avatar” without talking about its epic visual effects. The VFX (visual effects) team worked extensively hard to make the planet of Pandora come to life. 

“I just think it’s really pretty to look at, I love the story, I love the characters, and I’m really excited to see what they do with the next one,” Peterson said. “It was one of the first 3D movies I ever saw when I was a kid, so that was really exciting to see that technology progress throughout the years.”