It must be tough to be James Cameron these days, watching Avatar overtake Titanic and yet still wishing it could eke out just one or two more dollars at the cinema. Well, in true Cameron style, he and 20th Century Fox have found way to fix that: Avatar will be re-released in cinemas on August 27 in an exclusively 3D version with extra footage.
"Audiences repeatedly told me they wanted more of Pandora, and wished they could have stayed there longer. So we're making that possible," Cameron says in a statement. "Avatar: Special Edition will be exclusively in 3D, and will have eight minutes of never before seen footage, including new creatures and action scenes."
Yes, we really should be less cynical, since we’re sure there are plenty of people itching to get back to Pandora and see some of the new creatures. Especially those who would rather the fictional moon were real so that they could live there permanently.
With $2.7 billion in the bank so far, it’s not like Avatar needs the financial boost, but the chance to put out a new theatrical version (in advance of the planned special edition DVD set that will hopefully feature more extras) was surely a no-brainer for both the director and the studio.
The August 27 date applies both here and in the US, by the way. Other countries can check Fox’s site to see when the movie will make it to their cinemas.