Avatar Gets Special Re-Release In China Ahead Of Sequel Debut

"Avatar: The Way of the Water" is looking to make a serious splash at the box office when it releases with projections in the $150 million to $175 million range (via Deadline), but before it makes its tidal wave of a debut that will most assuredly submerge the rest of the competition, a limited promotional run of the original will roll out in China to get their fanbase extra excited to get back in on all the Pandora-related action.

The stunning "Avatar: the Way of the Water" trailer caused quite a stir among fans on Twitter, probably making it safe to assume that people are very excited for the long-awaited sequel from James Cameron to finally release. But before audiences return to Pandora, people should remember that it's been over a decade since its predecessor landed in theaters, and it may be wise to catch up on the original to get reacquainted with the planet, the Na'vi, and all of the other great things regarding the first chapter of the ever-expanding franchise. There are ways to watch it again on the small screen, and it is always a safe bet to press play on that Blu-ray copy if available. But some followers of "Avatar" out there are getting the fortunate chance to witness the 2009 feature film, either for the first time or to relive the experience once again, in theaters before the follow-up premieres.

While there was a brief reissue of the first film in September 2022 (via Avatar.com), the movie seems to be getting another run before "Avatar: the Way of the Water" releases.

According to a report from Deadline, a surprise limited re-release run of "Avatar" is happening in China before the release of the sequel starting on Monday, December 12, 2022. Now that COVID-related restrictions in the country are lessening, allowing for a more reasonable turnout at the movies, audiences in China will get to see the epic motion picture that started it all on the big screen. The screening will also utilize Cinity technology, which is an advanced projection system that utilizes 4K and 3D technologies, among several other complex things involving sound and pixels, to create a next-level transformative experience for viewers.

The September re-release was a big success, bringing in $75 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), adding to the impressive box office of the highest-grossing film of all time, and it will be intriguing to see how the numbers fare in China. As far as the sequel is concerned, James Cameron himself doesn't seem to be worried about the follow-up not resonating well with audiences, and based on the aforementioned projections; he is probably right.