Feature Film
Avatar & Avatar: The Way of Water
2009 / 2022
Filmed In
Wellington · Auckland · Wairarapa
Towns & Areas
Wētā FX and Stone Street Studios, Miramar, Wellington · Kumeu Film Studios, Auckland · Wairarapa (James Cameron's private estate)
The Story
The highest-grossing cinematic epics of all time. Set on the lush, alien moon of Pandora, these sci-fi masterpieces follow Jake Sully as he defends the indigenous Na'vi people and their breathtaking oceans from human exploitation.
The Stars
Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet. This ensemble has now spent the better part of two decades bringing Pandora to life, much of it built from Wellington's Wetā facilities.
Behind the Lens
Visionary director James Cameron. Cameron has spent much of the past two decades almost entirely focused on the Avatar franchise and its planned sequels.
Why NZ?
While Pandora is a digital marvel, it was entirely birthed in New Zealand. Cameron utilized the world-class digital wizardry of Wētā FX in Wellington. For the sequel, the live-action elements were filmed at Stone Street Studios, and Cameron loved the country so much he bought a permanent estate in the Wairarapa. It's a genuinely rare thing for a director of Cameron's stature to put down permanent roots in a production country rather than simply visiting for a shoot.
On Set
James Cameron's commitment to New Zealand went well beyond the soundstage — he personally bought a farm in the Wairarapa, close to Wellington's Wetā facilities, before formally committing to the Avatar sequels.
Legacy
Both films rank among the highest-grossing releases in cinema history, with the visual effects work from Wellington-based Wetā FX widely credited as reshaping what's technically possible in blockbuster filmmaking.
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