The first trailer for the much-anticipated sequel to Avatar has been released and fans have shared their excitement on social media.
James Cameron's groundbreaking first installment was released back in 2009 and became an instant global box office hit.
Grossing over $2.8 billion, per Deadline, the movie was also a colossal success during the awards season, winning three Oscars for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects. And it was easy to see why.
The movie was genuinely a visual masterpiece and unlike anything audiences had experienced before at the movie theater.
Avatar: The Way of Water was originally set for release in 2014 but was sadly withheld.
Nevertheless, the highly-anticipated sequel is now set for release later this year, and after the teaser for the upcoming movie dropped earlier this week, fans have taken to social media to discuss its striking visual effects.
One user said: "Avatar 2 The Way of Water's trailer is finally on social media after only being shown in theatres and to say it looks stunning visually would be an understatement, I would love to live by Pandora's oceans!"
Another wrote: "Seeing the leather on the back of his Ikran fluttering in the wind. The fluid dynamics of the water breaking on their hands/animal. The incredible natural biodiversity of the world. #AvatarTheWayOfWater is gonna blow us all away. Can't wait. Absolutely excited for this."
The first Avatar movie was revered for its technological achievements. Director James Cameron and his production crew were especially praised for the original movie's motion-capture-based computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Now, ScreenRant reports that Cameron developed a new technology for the sequel in order to create motion-capture scenes underwater.
The underwater sequences in the latest film were not all movie magic, but instead, the cast and crew had to film in a 900,000-gallon tank that imitated the different currents and movements of the ocean.
A fan was impressed with this technological development: "In case you didn't know, the underwater scenes in Avatar 2 were actually filmed underwater. James Cameron and his crew came up with the mo-cap suits and cameras used to capture an authentic underwater experience. Another game-changing advancement in cinema by the Avatar team."
Another chimed in and said: "Anyone who says the CGI in the #AvatarTheWayOfWater trailer looks exactly the same as the first movie are either blind, not really looking or lying. The detail is absolutely incredible."
A third exclaimed: "13 years since the original, and that teaser already shows how much progress has been made since the original, especially rendering both organic and inorganic stuff. It's the kind of CGI that makes me want to touch the fabric and pet ocean critters."
Set more than a decade after the first film, the sequel will continue the story of the Na’vi - in particular, Jake Sully and his family.
The sci-fi action-adventure will return with the original stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang. The latest stars to join the franchise include Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, and Edie Falco.
Avatar: The Way of Water will be released in December.
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