Fans of the Avatar franchise will one day be able to visit Pandora, the home of the blue Na’vi people, thanks to a deal made between filmmaker James Cameron and producer Jon Landau with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide.
The first Avatar themed “land” will be in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, with construction on the $400 million project expected to start by 2013.
Cameron and Landau, through their company Lightstorm Entertainment, will serve as creative consultants in the design and development of the attractions and working with Disney’s Imagineers.
The deal is exclusive with Disney and could lead to other Avatar attractions over time, including attractions in other Disney parks worldwide. Disney, though, explains that “with its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the Avatar stories, which share the same philosophy.”
Additionally, Disney explained that the “spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney.”
“I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our Avatar universe to life,” Cameron stated during the announcement on Tuesday. “Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of Avatar with an unprecedented sense of reality.” It is slated, already, to include animatronics, as well as 3D and holographic technology.
The parks, however, will not just play off the hit movie, but it will also incorporate the two coming Avatar sequels in development and planned for release at Christmas 2014 and Christmas 2015, in addition to never before seen elements of this fictional world Cameron created.
There’s no telling what Cameron and the Imagineers will come up with. Whether we’ll learn to fly or get to explore the forest, we’re sure it will be an incredible land once it opens around 2016 or 2017.