James Cameron is known for speaking his mind, and he didn't hold back when comparing Avatar's motion capture technology to that of Thanos in the Avengers sequels. The filmmaker admitted to being a fan of DC and Marvel Studios' films, but he stated that their motion capture technology was lacking compared to his 2009 hit.
Avatar was a revolutionary moment in the history of special effects. The Na'vi were brought to life using motion capture technology, and the film was widely praised for its lifelike visuals. Pandora looked and felt real despite being an alien world - the scope of its effects had not been accomplished before. Cameron has been vocal about the lengths he's gone to bring his series to life, and Avatar: The Way of Water will show off more of Pandora.
While promoting Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron gave an interview to ComicBook.com. The director went on to explain that he feels the technology used in the film is better than the technology used to bring Thanos to life in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. “I am not gonna diss the Marvel or the DC Universe. Love those movies, let’s just get that off the table. Obviously the big comic book superhero films have been driving the sheer volume of the [VFX] industry, and the rising tide of technique raises everybody together," Cameron said. "When it comes to the kind of emotive, facial stuff that we’re doing—I mean, Thanos, come on. Give me a break. You saw this movie [Avatar: The Way of Water], it’s not even close ... I literally sometimes just sit there in review sessions just going, ‘are you seeing what I’m seeing?’ Sometimes you can understand the characters’ inner monologue with themselves and what they’re feeling before they even say a word."
The technology used to bring Thanos to life is done by Weta FX, the same company used to craft Avatar: The Way of Water. That was just a few short years ago, but Cameron is convinced there's more care going into the Avatar franchise. This isn't an uncommon opinion, at least as far as the MCU is concerned - Marvel Studios has come under fire from visual artists over their CGI crunch.
The Pandoran ecosystem will continue to dazzle audiences when Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters. The trailers have already revealed a grand look at some new environments featured in the film, including some impressive underwater settings. Cameron has previously justified Avatar: The Way of Water's long runtime, which clocks in at over 3 hours.
Cameron's known for speaking his mind. He's previously revealed that he rejected studio notes on Avatar by invoking his work on Titanic. The man knows his way around a camera, it's impossible to deny that.
Avatar: The Way of Water will be released in theaters on December 16, 2022.
Source: ComicBook.com/YouTube