Avatar is the 2009 science-fiction film that features an alien moon named Pandora. Directed by James Cameron, the film follows former Marine Jake Sully, who enters the world of Pandora through a genetically engineered Na’vi-human body called an avatar.
Pandora is inhabited by the Na’vi and contains valuable resources, including the mineral unobtanium sought by human corporations. The film’s environmental and colonial themes are expressed through conflict between industrial expansion and the moon’s interconnected ecosystem.
The moon’s name is a deliberate allusion to the Greek myth. Cameron’s Pandora is visually beautiful and rich in life, while the mythological Pandora’s vessel is associated with the release of suffering. The shared name creates a symbolic contrast rather than making the film a retelling of the ancient story.
Avatar was released in 2009 and became known for its extensive use of computer-generated imagery and 3D presentation. Its title refers to the Na’vi-human bodies used by human operators.