Avatar to Get Theatrical Re-release with New Footage?

Posted by on March 12th, 2010   Filed under: Action, Rumours, Sci-fi
Source: Hollywood Reporter

avatarrerelease

James Cameron’s Avatar may be the highest-grossing movie of all-time, but apparently that’s still not enough for 20th Century Fox. They want more! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox is considering a second theatrical run for Avatar sometime this summer. They believe that the movie could have made even more money if it had not been knocked out of so many digital 3-D and IMAX theatres when Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland opened last weekend. They may have a point… Avatar still has not fallen out of the top 5 on the weekend box office charts, and also experienced a sudden increase in 3-D ticket sales just prior to the release of Alice. Clearly people are still very interested in taking trips to Pandora.

In order to sweeten the deal, Cameron is also planning to add some additional footage to the film. Apparently there are about 40 minutes worth of deleted scenes that could potentially be restored for the new cut; the only problem is that analog IMAX theatres cannot show movies longer than 170 minutes. Since the original cut of Avatar was already 162 minutes long, we probably won’t get more than 10 minutes of new scenes. Personally I’m hoping for that deleted Na’vi sex scene, but it sounds like we’re probably just going to get some native festival instead. Either way, the DVD and Blu-ray release of Avatar may get pushed back because of this, which would probably be helpful for manufacturers who are in the process of prepping the first wave of 3-D TVs. What do you think… would you pay to see an extended version of Avatar in theatres, or are you all Na’vi’d out?



  • Not for the extra footage but if I was bored one day during my summer holidays I’d definitely be happy to check out Avatar IMAX again.

  • azmat

    oh ya of course i will love to have the experience again until i am completely satisfied cause a place like Pandora is hard to to find except in avatar….

  • Nightgems

    It doesn’t matter to me whether the additional footage is shown in the theaters or (preferably) included on the DVD — just as long as it appears somewhere!!

  • Marc

    I for one can’t wait! Bring it on Mr. Cameron, I would love to take another trip to Pandora.

  • KeithTalent

    It’s already too god damned long. Need to remove 30 minutes, not add any minutes.

  • Chas

    Get me the BLUE_RAY DVD with extended and deleted scenes in a hurry – $18.50 per visit is too costly.

  • MJS

    Putting it out in the summer against all the blockbusters doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, September/October makes more sense to me. As for fitting a 202 minute film into IMAX… couldn’t they just put in an intermission to switch reels, or whatever they need to do?

  • Nate

    I don’t have much interest in ever seeing Avatar again.

  • Ovenball

    I am guessing the reason there is a length cap on what can run on “analoge” IMAX is due to the weight of 70mm film on the platter decks and perhaps the physical size of the decks themselves?

    It seems like this would be a minor issue especially if the goal is to get some more 3D dollars, since the “new” IMAX 3D and RealD technologies utilize digital projection.

  • the original script which you can read online started the story on earth, bladerunner style, with a very typical introduction for Jake; drunk solider in a bar. his handicap is revealed in a fight and he is tossed in to the gutter. the two government agents introduce themselves to him there. I think the existing Avatar edit is a much stronger opening, but a tease in regards to Cameron’s earth would be cool to see.

  • Jonny Ashley

    This is a ridiculous money hunger scheme. Although I’m probably gonna go see it since I skipped it the first time.

  • xego

    Really? Ok you win I’ll go see it already. It really needed to be playing for like a year before I would get around to it any way.

  • Andrew

    I wouldn’t be interested in seeing Avatar again myself but I’d think plenty would be keen if their was some significant changes and a lot of extra footage. Throw in about half an hour and give it a god-damned intermission!(that should solve the imax loading problem?) I needed to take a piss halfway through my viewing as it was.

  • Mr.Fansypants

    I don’t now much abot analoge and digital movies, but what’s the problem with digital cinemas? I mean, yea sure, i can get people would rather watch analog films, but presenting it digetally on cinema won’t hurt that, would it?

  • Fatbologna

    no. no more.

  • Napalm

    Milking much?

  • Kbart

    Didnt they make enough money.. does this mean if I want to see the new scenes I have to buy ANOTHER dvd ? They arent even showing the new release in maine…dont we rate?