In the 2009 film Avatar, Pandora is the name of a fictional moon orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus. James Cameron directed and co-wrote the science-fiction film, which was released internationally in 2009.
The film’s Pandora is inhabited by the Na’vi, a tall blue humanoid species with a complex relationship to the moon’s ecosystems. The story follows former Marine Jake Sully, who becomes involved with the Na’vi while operating an avatar body through a program connected to human mining and scientific activity.
This fictional moon is separate from both the Greek myth and Saturn’s real moon Pandora. Cameron’s film uses the mythological name as part of its world-building, but the setting is not a retelling of the jar story. The film’s visual design, motion-capture performances, and 3D presentation became major parts of its cultural impact.
Avatar was a major commercial success and won three Academy Awards. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, returned to the same fictional planetary system in 2022.