Secrets of Underwater Motion Capture and More Revealed in New Avatar Documentary Series on Disney+

Go behind the scenes of the global phenomenon with an epic two-part event titled "Fire And Water: Making The Avatar Films."

Disney+ has announced a deep dive into the world of Pandora with a brand-new, two-part documentary special, giving fans an unprecedented look at the creation of James Cameron's blockbuster films.

What’s Happening:

  • The groundbreaking filmmaking of the Avatar franchise is featured in a new documentary special for Disney+.
  • Fire And Water: Making The Avatar Films: This two-part event promises to take viewers behind the scenes of the most successful films of all time.
  • The special will begin streaming globally on November 7, 2025, exclusively on Disney+.
  • Fans can expect to see never-before-seen footage and interviews detailing the revolutionary technology that allowed the actors to bring the inhabitants to life.
  • Viewers will follow the cast and crew from soundstages in California to locations in Hawaii and New Zealand as they work to perfect revolutionary underwater performance capture technology and learn to free dive in a massive, state-of-the-art 680,000-gallon water tank.
  • The documentary features an extensive lineup of interviews with cast and filmmakers, including James Cameron, Jon Landau, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, and the visual effects supervisors from Wētā FX.
  • The special is executive produced by James Cameron and Rae Sanchini, directed by Thomas C. Grane, and produced by Mob Scene.
  • The announcement comes as anticipation continues to build for Avatar: Fire and Ash, slated for release on December 19, 2025.

About the Avatar Franchise:

  • Directed by James Cameron, the original Avatar was released in 2009 and shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, a title it still holds.
  • The film was lauded for its revolutionary use of 3D and performance-capture technology, earning nine Academy Award nominations and winning for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
  • The long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was released in 2022, thirteen years after the original. It also became a massive commercial success, now standing as the third highest-grossing film of all time (after Avengers: Endgame).
  • The Way of Water pushed technological boundaries even further, particularly with its development of underwater performance-capture technology.
  • Combined, the two films have grossed over $5.2 billion at the worldwide box office, cementing the franchise as a true global phenomenon.

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Daniel Kaplan
Daniel loves theme parks — specifically how the narrative of theme park attractions differs from film or books — and loves debating what constitutes a "good" theme park attraction story.