WHAT WENT WRONG

Avatar (2009)

December 22, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The development of *Avatar* was a decade-long process, driven by James Cameron's persistent dream concept and only made possible after *Titanic*'s massive success provided the financial leverage and technological advancements (like performance capture and lightweight 3D cameras) were sufficiently mature. 
  • The hosts noted that *Avatar*'s narrative structure is heavily derivative, explicitly compared to 'Dances with Wolves in Space' and John Carter of Mars, suggesting Cameron prioritized technological spectacle over complex storytelling in this instance. 
  • James Cameron's explicit direction to the art team was to design the Na'vi to be sexually appealing to the audience, a detail highlighted by quotes regarding the need for 'fuckable' aliens, which influenced the final, somewhat contradictory, feline-humanoid design. 
  • The production of *Avatar (2009)* relied on revolutionary virtual camera technology, pioneered by Rob Legato, which allowed directors to see real-time, rough renderings of CGI worlds during principal photography. 
  • James Cameron faced significant studio pushback from Fox regarding the film's budget, originality, and perceived 'hippie bullshit' themes, leading him to leverage his leverage with Disney to secure the greenlight. 
  • Casting choices, such as hiring Zoe Saldana as the lead Na'vi character and Sam Worthington based on his 'fuck you attitude,' were unconventional but crucial to the film's success, despite studio desires for bigger stars. 
  • Despite James Cameron's reputation as a difficult collaborator, the artists involved in *Avatar* (2009) successfully balanced the film's spectacle with deeply human character portrayals, particularly through micro facial movements. 
  • The hosts are promoting bonus content, including a review of *Avatar* titled "Avatar Fire and Ash," scheduled for release on December 26th for Apple and Patreon subscribers. 
  • The podcast concludes with a humorous, original song directed at James Cameron, urging him to return from Pandora and create more content, followed by announcements for the next episode, a review of *Memento*. 

Segments

Initial Impressions of Avatar
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(00:01:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Lizzie expressed initial rage over the 2-hour 43-minute runtime and found the first 80 minutes problematic, though she enjoyed the conflict in the latter half.
  • Summary: One host strongly disliked the film initially, citing its excessive length and problematic elements in the first hour, but found the latter half enjoyable once the main conflict began. Both hosts agreed the visuals are stunning and groundbreaking, though one felt the storytelling prioritized technology over narrative depth compared to films like Toy Story. A specific critique targeted Sam Worthington’s motion capture performance as the Avatar body, which one host found to be ‘dead space’ compared to other actors.
Visuals and Casting Critiques
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(00:07:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris noted that Sigourney Weaver’s Avatar model was the least photorealistic due to design challenges centered on preserving her narrow nose shape.
  • Summary: The visuals of Avatar generally hold up well, only seeming subpar when compared directly to its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. Sigourney Weaver’s CGI model stood out negatively because artists struggled to widen her nose to match the Na’vi feline look while still resembling her, resulting in a compromise. Both hosts felt that while Zoe Saldana and CCH Pounder delivered strong performances, Giovanni Ribisi was slightly miscast as the corporate antagonist.
Trope Analysis and Pastiche
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(00:11:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The film heavily relies on familiar tropes, including visual callbacks like the AMP suit echoing the Power Loader from Aliens, leading to accusations of being a pastiche.
  • Summary: The film is viewed as a ‘greatest hits’ compilation of Cameron’s favored themes: technology versus nature, corporate greed, and military conflict. One host felt this reliance on familiar elements made the story simplistic, comparing it directly to Dances with Wolves (Pocahontas in space). The other host countered that Cameron often uses pastiche, but his previous works filtered influences through a more original narrative generator.
Origin of the Concept
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(00:18:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The core concept for Avatar, including the bioluminescent forest and 12-foot-tall blue aliens, originated in a dream Cameron had in the early 1970s while attending Fullerton College.
  • Summary: The idea for Avatar originated in a dream Cameron had in the early 1970s, which he sketched, featuring bioluminescent flora and fauna. A painting of a 12-foot-tall blue woman was inspired by a dream his mother had about a blue goddess with six breasts, which was later simplified to the Na’vi design. The original 1970s script concept, Xenogenesis, served as a proof of concept for the ideas later seen in Avatar.
Cameron’s Career and Plagiarism Claims
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(00:21:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Prior to Avatar, James Cameron faced plagiarism accusations regarding The Terminator (from Harlan Ellison) and Terminator 2 (regarding the T-1000 concept).
  • Summary: Cameron’s rise to success included financial triumphs with Terminator 2 and True Lies, but he was dogged by accusations of stealing concepts from other science fiction works. These claims were common for a director of his stature, though some, like the Ellison settlement, were resolved outside of court. Following the massive success of Titanic, Cameron took a 12-year gap before his next feature, the longest gap for any Best Director Oscar winner in the last 65 years.
Technological Development and R&D
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(00:30:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Cameron and John Landau secured $10 million from Fox in 2005 to spend one year developing the necessary R&D for Avatar, including the revolutionary Fusion 3D camera system.
  • Summary: Cameron paused feature filmmaking after Titanic to focus on deep-sea documentaries and pushing 3D technology forward, developing the lightweight Fusion camera system with Vince Pace. The success of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings convinced Cameron that performance capture technology was finally ready for his vision of expressive CGI characters. Fox agreed to fund the R&D phase, gaining ownership of any developed technology, allowing Cameron to prove the viability of a film about 12-foot-tall aliens.
Art Direction and Na’vi Design
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(00:47:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The art team was directed to create flora and fauna that were biologically feasible, drawing inspiration from Earth’s geography and Cameron’s deep-sea expeditions.
  • Summary: The art team worked in secrecy, tasked with creating entirely original designs for Pandora, pulling inspiration from Chinese mountains, Venezuelan jungles, and marine life observed during Cameron’s dives. Cameron reserved the design of the apex predator, the Thanator, for himself, aiming to surpass the Alien Queen. The design process for the Na’vi swung between highly alien concepts and nearly human forms before settling on the final feline-like appearance.
Virtual Camera Technology Explained
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(00:55:24)
  • Key Takeaway: James Cameron utilized Rob Legato’s virtual camera system, capturing real-time position and motion data to render rough CGI landscapes for directors.
  • Summary: Rob Legato, known for his work on Titanic, adapted his virtual camera system from The Aviator for Avatar. This technology allowed the director to move a virtual camera rig in real-time within a CG landscape, providing a rough, low-quality rendering of the final scene. This process was revolutionary because it enabled shooting entirely within CG environments rather than relying solely on live plate photography.
Performance Capture Headgear
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(00:57:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The production tested two performance capture methods, ultimately choosing head-mounted cameras attached to carbon fiber helmets for facial capture.
  • Summary: The team tested traditional facial dots against head-mounted cameras to capture performance data. They settled on the latter, requiring custom carbon fiber helmets molded to each actor’s head. A prototype test in late 2005 featured actors Daniel Bess and Yoonjin Kim in the scene where Neytiri saves Jake Sully.
Fox Studio Concerns and Weta Interest
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(00:59:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Fox expressed concerns that the prototype footage was not photorealistic and that audiences would not emotionally connect with blue aliens, while Weta passed on other projects to wait for Avatar.
  • Summary: Fox was impressed by the 37-second prototype but worried about audience engagement with non-photorealistic blue aliens and residual budget concerns from Titanic. John Landau showed the script to Weta in New Zealand, who reportedly loved the project but passed on two firm offers to wait for Avatar’s greenlight.
Script Rewrites and Studio Conflict
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(01:00:47)
  • Key Takeaway: James Cameron drastically cut his initial 200-page script down to 148 pages, and later to nine pages, before a major confrontation with Fox executive Peter Chernin over the film’s environmental themes.
  • Summary: Cameron spent early 2006 cutting the script, eventually presenting a version to Fox that led to Chernin allegedly asking him to remove the ’tree hugging hippie bullshit.’ Cameron countered that he chose the story precisely for those themes and threatened to take the project to Disney, claiming he would make Chernin look foolish if it succeeded.
Disney’s Interest and Budget Finalization
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(01:02:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Cameron showed the tech demo to Disney executives, who were immediately captivated, but Fox retained first right of refusal and secured financing partners to reduce its financial risk.
  • Summary: Disney executives, including Bob Iger, were shown the $10 million tech demo and immediately wanted the film, despite Fox having the first refusal right. Fox eventually greenlit the project in October 2006 with a proposed budget of $237 million, making it the most expensive film ever, by bringing in partners Dune Entertainment and Ingenius Media to cover over half the cost.
Na’vi Language Creation
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(01:05:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Linguist Paul Frommer was hired to create the Na’vi language, developing over a thousand words and incorporating ejectives based on Cameron’s preference.
  • Summary: USC professor Paul Frommer was tasked with creating a detailed language to surpass Klingon, choosing a sound palette that included popping ejectives common in certain world languages. Casting directors had actors audition by improvising languages since Frommer’s language structure was not complete until later.
Casting Leads: Saldana and Worthington
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(01:07:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Cameron insisted on casting relatively unknown Zoe Saldana as Neytiri and Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, despite studio pressure for major stars.
  • Summary: Zoe Saldana was cast before Sam Worthington, having only minor roles previously, and Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal reportedly turned down the lead role of Jake Sully. Worthington, an Australian unknown who had been living out of his car, secured the role partly because Cameron admired his defiant audition attitude.
Aliens Reunion Avoided
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(01:15:16)
  • Key Takeaway: James Cameron cast Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine but deliberately avoided casting Michael Bean as Colonel Quaritch to prevent an Aliens reunion.
  • Summary: Cameron initially hesitated to cast Weaver due to her role as Ripley but changed her character’s name from Shipley to Augustine. Michael Bean, who expected the Quaritch role, was passed over when Weaver was cast, with Stephen Lang ultimately taking the part after auditioning for a role in Aliens twenty years prior.
Filming Logistics and Technical Hurdles
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(01:16:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The actors underwent extensive physical training, and the performance capture process was complicated by system limitations, often crashing when more than five characters were on stage.
  • Summary: Actors trained in horseback riding, archery, and movement coaching from Terry Notary to emulate the Na’vi. The production workflow, based on a two-character test, struggled with system crashes when rendering more than five characters in real-time, forcing the crew to blame the software, Motion Builder, for delays.
Post-Production Complexity and Delays
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(01:22:34)
  • Key Takeaway: The complex post-production involved editing performances first, then camera work, requiring a complete restart if the virtual camera repositioning failed, leading to long turnaround times with Weta.
  • Summary: The process required two editing passes: first assembling the best actor takes, and second, repositioning the virtual cameras, which could force a complete restart if the camera work was unsatisfactory. The team sent initial scenes to Weta in early 2007 and did not receive the rendered results back until May 2008.
Papyrus Font Origin Story
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(01:29:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The iconic Papyrus font used for the Avatar title, subtitles, and end credits was chosen directly from the font used on the script’s cover page, overriding 75-90 futuristic designs.
  • Summary: A Fox executive spotted the Papyrus font on Cameron’s script cover page after design firms submitted dozens of chrome, futuristic options. Cameron immediately approved it, leading to its pervasive use throughout the film’s branding, much to the frustration of the design firm tasked with the final title sequence.
Release Hype and Negative Feedback
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(01:32:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Early audience reactions to trailers and 3D screenings were mixed, with online critics labeling the film with tropes like ‘Dances with Wolves in Space’ and ‘Smurf porn.’
  • Summary: Despite positive distributor feedback at Cinema Expo, Comic-Con audiences were underwhelmed, leading Cameron to launch ‘Avatar Day’ for free 3D IMAX previews. The online trailer release generated harsh feedback comparing the film to Pocahontas meets Halo and referencing Jar Jar Binks.
Box Office Dominance and Oscar Losses
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(01:37:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Avatar dominated its opening weekend, becoming the fastest film to cross $1 billion worldwide, but it only won three technical Oscars, losing Best Picture to The Hurt Locker.
  • Summary: The film earned $77 million its opening weekend domestically and crossed $2 billion worldwide faster than any previous film. Cameron famously argued that Avatar deserved Best Picture due to its massive scale and the number of people involved, a sentiment contrasting with Catherine Bigelow’s win for The Hurt Locker.
Cultural Imprint and Legacy
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(01:43:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite being James Cameron’s most financially successful film, Avatar is noted for its lack of lasting cultural imprint compared to his earlier works, functioning more like a temporary theme park ride.
  • Summary: The massive financial success of the Avatar films has not translated into the same lingering cultural memory as films like Titanic or Terminator. The hosts suggest this is because the films offer pure escape without demanding deep thought, making them akin to theme park attractions that are enjoyed in the moment but quickly forgotten upon exit.
Humanity in Digital Performance
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(01:48:49)
  • Key Takeaway: The artists achieved virtuosic yet human portrayal of characters by focusing on micro facial movements, preventing spectacle from overwhelming performance.
  • Summary: The artists successfully rendered the Na’vi characters as extremely human, despite James Cameron’s challenging nature. Cameron’s quotes about sexualizing characters were interpreted as a desire to maximize their humanity. The visual execution avoided letting the spectacle overshadow the emotional performances.
Podcast Support and Bonus Content
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(01:49:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Bonus content, including a free review of Wake Up Dead Man, is available to entice listeners to subscribe to Apple Podcasts or Patreon for monthly bonus episodes.
  • Summary: Listeners can support WHAT WENT WRONG by telling friends or signing up for bonus content on Apple Podcasts ($4.99/month) or Patreon. A free, front-of-paywall review of Ryan Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man was released to showcase the hybrid review format. The dedicated Avatar bonus review, “Fire and Ash,” drops on December 26th.
Cameron Tribute Song
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(01:50:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts performed a parody song urging James Cameron to leave Pandora and create new films, referencing his past works like Titanic and Terminator.
  • Summary: The segment features a call for James Cameron to return from Pandora, suggesting he doesn’t need digital tools for his next project. The song references his past successes, including Titanic, and his competitive drive in Hollywood. The hosts thank their $50 full-stop Patreon patrons during this closing segment.