We've forgotten 'Avatar': What does this say about its sequel's success?

Even though it’s been 13 years since its release, James Cameron’s "Avatar" remains the highest-grossing film of all time. But in comparison to some other top-grossing films, including titles from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, "Avatar" doesn’t seem to have had the kind of cultural impact that you would expect from a movie that performed so well at the box office.

I can’t think of a single time anyone has ever told me that "Avatar" was their favorite movie or seen merchandise featuring the film's characters or dialogue at any store. If there is a fandom for this film, it seems to be a ghost town compared to those of similar box office hits. So, what happened?

How did a movie that sold so many tickets fade from cultural consciousness so fast, and what does this mean for its upcoming sequel, "Avatar: The Way of Water?"

The story of "Avatar" isn’t as action-packed and flashy as its competing franchises, but it certainly has themes that could resonate with audiences in 2022 even if it’s been more than a decade since the film's release. The plot explores topics like colonialism, environmentalism, advancing technology, love and more — all things that are definitely still relevant.

"Avatar" seems like a movie that should be brought up in conversation far more often than it actually is, considering how timely its themes are and just how many people have seen it. But clearly, something is missing from the story of "Avatar" that causes this pop-culture amnesia.

One theory behind this phenomenon is that the public's focus was on the film's groundbreaking use of CGI and digital effects rather than its actual story. People went to see the movie for its visual spectacle, and ultimately, the plot was secondary. 

Sure, we love seeing action-packed CGI masterpieces, but if we don't have a story and characters to cling to, are we even going to care about the movie after we've walked out of the theater?

As film technology has evolved, more movies have made use of similar visual effects and "Avatar" no longer stands out as a new and exciting piece of media in the same way it used to. While it remains a great example of how CGI and 3D effects can be used in interesting ways, that isn’t enough to keep the film in a regular media lexicon.

So, if no one’s really talking about "Avatar" anymore, what’s up with the sequel? Apparently, James Cameron actually plans to make four sequels, which makes sense from a monetary point of view. After your film makes almost 3 billion dollars at the box office, why not make another one? But is "Avatar: The Way of Water" going to do as well as its predecessor?

The film doesn’t open in theaters until Friday, but reviews from its premiere on December 6 are already rolling in. While many of them are focusing on the franchise’s famous visual effects, which have reportedly only gotten better, reviewers are also praising the film’s plot.

If the film's visual effects are once again groundbreaking and are paired with a story that people can connect to and be impacted by, I think the second installment of the franchise might have a chance of doing even better than the first.

Though I do wonder if the way that the first installment quickly faded away from popular culture will stop people from lining up to see the sequel. I don’t normally read movie reviews before I decide to see a movie, and plenty of people have probably forgotten the plot of the first movie, which could stop them from caring too much about "Avatar: The Way of Water."

Still, the timing of the film's arrival in theaters — right before the holidays when lots of people have off from work and school — could help boost ticket sales.

It’s hard to say if "Avatar: The Way of Water" will make a longer-lasting cultural impact than the original film. While the film releases on Friday, only time will tell if "Avatar: The Way of Water" will stand the test of time or fade into pop-culture obscurity like its predecessor.