The pre-Oscars Red Carpet affair has, over the years, developed into a prime spot for studios and companies to air new TV spots, trailers and commercials. Think Super Bowl, but far less expensive.
Before the 89th annual Academy Awards kicked off on Sunday, Disney aired a commercial for its upcoming Avatar World theme park, featuring commentary from Avatar director James Cameron. The commercial showed off parts of the park, including fully functional, animatronic creatures from Avatar. One has to imagine the attempt was to show off how futuristic and technologically advanced the section of the park is, but the entire ad came off as far too creepy.
I thought I understood true terror until I saw the animatronic abomination that is the Avatar alien in the #Oscars Disney World commercial
— Dane Praznikopolis (@Praznikopolis) February 27, 2017
The end of that Avatar Disney World ad is right out of my nightmares #Oscars
— Josh McLean (@RadioMcLean) February 27, 2017
Did anyone else scream in terror when that Avatar World commercial? #Oscars
— Obi Wan Kenobi (@jojounareal) February 27, 2017
The commercial is only 30-seconds in length, but there is something undeniably terrifying about the way it’s framed. Everything from the animatronic creatures, to the oddly threatening end that features a Na’vi woman expressing she can’t wait to see visitors soon, is off-putting. Avatar World will be exclusive to Disney World in Orlando, Florida and will include alien lifeforms from the movie, along with bioluminescent plants and floating mountains. Although the theme park was announced in 2011, it wasn’t until earlier this month that Disney confirmed the park would finally open this year.
Other people tuning into the red carpet pre-show on ABC, however, were less disturbed and more confused about the prospect of Avatar World.
It's 2017 and James Cameron still thinks Avatar is relevant.
— Cee Squared (@_Cee_Squared) February 27, 2017
[Avatar (the one with the blue alien guys) is still relevant?]
— Papa John (@PapaJohnLaurens) February 27, 2017
Why is Avatar still relevant?
— kubi-facts (@JKub_eXtreme) February 27, 2017
It may seem strange for an Avatar-themed park to be opening in 2017, but the Avatar franchise is far from over. Last April, Fox confirmed Cameron would direct Avatar 2, Avatar 3, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 over the course of the next six years, with the final movie expected to be released around Christmas 2023. Avatar 2, the sequel to Cameron’s box office-breaking 2009 film, will be released around Christmas 2018.
Avatar World, for those who may be interested, will open on May 27, 2017.
