Avatar is the 2009 science-fiction film that features the moon Pandora as the home of the Na’vi. Directed by James Cameron, the film follows former Marine Jake Sully, who enters the world of Pandora through a remotely operated avatar body.
Pandora in Avatar is a fictional moon orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus in the Alpha Centauri star system. Its forests, animals, floating mountains, and interconnected ecosystem form the setting for the conflict between the Na’vi and human mining interests. The film’s Pandora is unrelated to the ancient Greek vessel, although both use the name to evoke a world of wonder and danger.
Avatar became a major commercial and technical milestone after its 2009 release. Its extensive use of computer-generated imagery and 3D presentation helped establish Pandora as one of modern cinema’s most recognizable fictional environments.