What began as rumor early today has now been confirmed: as of this writing, Disney is announcing a partnership with James Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring Cameron’s visionary story, AVATAR, to life at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
According to a press conference being held presently at Walt Disney Imagineering, Cameron and his producing partner, Jon Landau, will serve as creative consultants on projects highlighting the characters and experiences in the film. No word yet on what an attraction might look like, but it “will take our guests deep into worlds of AVATAR like never before.” Bob Iger and Tom Staggs announced the partnership, which is said to begin at Animal Kingdom (leaving the door open for expansion of the franchise’s attractions to other Disney Parks.)
And apparently, we have more to look forward to where AVATAR is concerned: two additional sequels to the original film are currently in development, and will continue to introduce additional stories and characters to the mix.
Disney sees Animal Kingdom as the natural starting point to the Disney/Lightstorm partnership. Says Disney’s Thomas Smith:
We believe Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a great fit for this project because it was created to give guests the opportunity to experience the worlds of animals and nature – real and mythical – in new ways. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also celebrates adventure, living in harmony with nature and environmental stewardship – themes that are deeply rooted in the story of AVATAR.
Many more details are forthcoming regarding this exciting new venture. Stay tuned to DisZine for all the latest.
What are your thoughts? Are you excited about an Avatar attraction? Leave a comment below!
