Franchise paves way for cinema technology

Despite being one of the most sought-after directors, with both fame and financial backing, Cameron had to wait another decade for cinematic technology to advance enough to realize Avatar. This pioneering runaway hit revolutionized the moviegoing experience and also accelerated the construction of 3D screens in China.

"I've been having crazy dreams my whole life. I feel so privileged to get to put them on a big screen. And I think we see the best parts of ourselves in the Na'vi as well," says Cameron, reflecting on his decades-long pursuit of bringing a teenage dream to life.

Most critics interpreted the first Avatar film as a metaphor for the conflict between indigenous peoples and colonizing outsiders, as well as a reflection of Earth's environmental crises.

With the changes over the past 10 years, Cameron's vision has continued to expand beyond the confines of a sci-fi story. "The themes of human connection and seeing each other, and being connected with nature and so on, seem to be just as relevant now as they were when I wrote it. We try to deal with things that are universal in the human condition: ideas around family, courage and a sense of duty to our family, that are really kind of timeless, existing outside of any specific country or culture," he says.

Aside from the film being screened in its original English, a stellar voiceover cast featuring top Chinese stars offers another option for local moviegoers. Celebrities lending their voices to major characters include the star couple Deng Chao and Sun Li, actor Huang Xuan and actress Zhang Ziyi.

Zhang, who voices Ronal, the spiritual leader of the oceanic Metkayina Clan who shelters the protagonists' family, in the Mandarin version, says dubbing holds the significance of a second-round creation after a film is completed. She aimed to breathe new life into the character within the localized language environment.

For Deng, the 46-year-old actor who lends his voice to Jake Sully, being part of the Avatar saga is a nostalgic journey. "When Avatar was first released, I remember seeing packed theater corridors and stairways, a truly unprecedented spectacle. The Avatar series is like an old friend, yet from another perspective, it's also like a teacher," says Deng, who is also a director.