James Cameron’s film Avatar, set on the moon Pandora, was released in 2009. The science-fiction film was directed and co-written by Cameron and became known for its extensive use of computer-generated imagery, performance capture, and stereoscopic 3D presentation.
Avatar follows former Marine Jake Sully, who travels to Pandora and uses a remotely operated Na’vi-human hybrid body called an avatar. He becomes involved with the Na’vi and the conflict between their society and the human mining operation seeking unobtanium.
The film premiered in London in December 2009 and then received a broad international theatrical release. It became a major commercial success and won three Academy Awards, including awards for visual effects, cinematography, and art direction.
The 2009 date is sometimes confused with later Avatar films. Avatar: The Way of Water was released in 2022, but the original film introducing Pandora and the Na’vi arrived in 2009.