It showed up out of nowhere, made the most bank in history (for a movie), refused to explain and disappeared for like 15 years, then came back out of nowhere with a sequel movie, a AAA game, and like 3 more movies in the works.

Edit: I think it now has like a Lego line too?

  • Zagorath@aussie.zone
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    3 days ago

    Pretty sure it now has a theme park or something, doesn’t it?

    It’s bizarre how much “stuff” there is for the blue people Avatar franchise, considering what a tiny lasting cultural impact the original movie had.

    The original movie was an incredible tech demo. It was an utterly forgettable movie. I had no desire to bother watching the sequel.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      It’s bizarre how much “stuff” there is

      It’s not…

      James Cameron spent a lot of money to make the first one, and wants to keep making them.

      So the studio decided to just pretend that everyone wants more, and the entertainment media repeats it so the studio stays happy and tells them things.

      The people don’t want, but that doesn’t really matter anymore. Enough will go see anything the media says is good, and just believe it’s good.

      Lots of people are idiots, which explains a lot about capitalism

      • Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe
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        3 days ago

        Yep.

        I have some acquaintances that raved about the movie. I finally read the story and could only think how terrible.

      • moakley@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        I don’t understand the appeal of Avatar. I really don’t. The writing is beyond lazy, and while the visuals may be impressive or whatever, the things they’re depicting just look weird and unappealing to me.

        But even I can’t pretend that its success is only due to hype. There are plenty of successful movies that don’t deserve their success, but you don’t get as successful as Avatar without giving the audience something. People aren’t that dumb.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          I didn’t say no one liked the first one.

          They loved it, everything about it except the story. It was groundbreaking CGI and visually stunning.

          No one wanted it a franchise except James Cameron though.

          And when you strip away the story from any movie and rely on flashing visuals…

          Dumb is the target demographic, they didn’t care about the story anyways.

          • moakley@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            The second one is the third highest grossing movie of all time. So clearly some people wanted more.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zone
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        3 days ago

        So the studio decided to just pretend that everyone wants more, and the entertainment media repeats it so the studio stays happy and tells them things.

        I think you just described a non-political example of manufactured consent.

    • usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      Sure, the movies aren’t very deep, but the world-building and visuals are pretty great. The emotional beats tend to hit as they should too so it’s entertaining fluff. Sure, I enjoy a fancy steak, but I’m also going to fully enjoy cotton candy at the carnival too.

    • kinsnik@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Yeah, i remember going to see it mostly because of 3D (which probably helped a lot in becoming one of the most successful movies ever, thanks to the novelty and higher ticket price).

      But left so little impact that i can hardly remember anything about it and have no interest whatsoever in seeing the sequels.

      The theme park in animal kingdom was fine

    • Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      3 days ago

      Yah I saw the original in 3D and on acid, and it was incredible.

      I also will probably never see the sequels.

      • Tuukka R@sopuli.xyz
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        3 days ago

        I had a chance to get to watch it in 3d when it had just come out.

        What they failed to tell was that it was with 3d sound but 2d visuals 🥳

        Well, 3d all the same. What’s the difference anyway?

    • TheRealKuni@piefed.social
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      3 days ago

      The Pandora section of Animal Kingdom is pretty cool, especially at night. And the Flight of Passage ride is incredible, a very easy suspension of disbelief once you’re on the “banshee” and feeling it breathe beneath you, and the wind and the spray of water as you fly.

      Say what you will about Disney, they know how to make a theme park experience.

      • Zagorath@aussie.zone
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        3 days ago

        Say what you will about Disney, they know how to make a theme park experience.

        The only Disney park I’ve been to is Hong Kong. And to be honest, it was a very subpar experience. Much worse than the other parks I’ve been to like Movie World & Dreamworld in Australia, or Lotte World in Korea.