Thursday, April 1, 2010

Avatar

I am participating in Tossing it Out's A-Z Blog Post Challenge. So I must post a minimum of 26 times this month from A-Z

Today is A - Avatar!

Why? Because last month I set up a poll - how much money would it make world-wide?

The majority selected $2.7 billion dollars. Guess what? If that was you, then it looks as if that will be the correct answer! (Give or take a couple million.) Right now Avatar is hovering at $2,690,916,066.

Avatar is more than just the biggest money-maker. It's changed the way we look at movies. It will change how movies are made, too. It will open up the doors for a lot of movies that were just never possible before. Sometimes science fiction and fantasy is limited by the level of special effects available, but now I forsee no barriers to those studios with enough cash.

Any books you'd like to see on the big screen that were impossible before? I wonder if they will ever adapt any of Terry Brooks' books... or Preston & Child? ( I don't count The Relic - they left out the main character!)

31 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A good start to the challenge with some remarkable facts about Avatar.
Very impressive.

Have a good day.
Yvonne.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I am still hoping to see Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern on the big screen!

Hannah said...

there are a lot of books I think would make great movies but I'm 95% disappointed so I stop throwing my influence out there. My hopes & dreams are bad juju for movies.

Summer Frey said...

Yeah, what Palindrome said. I really, really want to see Ender's Game made into a movie, but I'm scared at the same time.

However, they are making A Princess of Mars into a movie, and the casting looks pretty good so far. I'm just hoping the rest of it will match up.

I'd love to see Terry Brooks' Knight of the Word series made into a movie, or the Scions of Shannara.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's why I am leery of books to movies - they butchered The Relic.

Summer, any of the Shannara books would be awesome. I wonder if Peter Jackson is a fan of the series?

Arlee Bird said...

A as in Alex
You're off and have very appropriately kicked off with AVATAR as your lead entry. Good job!

Well I still haven't seen it and will hold out for NetFlix. The way I watch movies it may take awhile. I'm often disappointed with SciFi on screen. I did like the realism of DISTRICT 9 -- I thought that was an innovative concept. I look forward to a non-shaky renditition of CLOVERFIELD. And how about they remake some of those old giant mutated insect movies like they used to do back in the 50s.

Congratulations on a good start.
Some of the other blogs have been getting really creative haven't they? I'm pretty impressed by everyone's effort and enthusiasm (that should be my "E" entry for next Tuesday).

Lee

Sarah Ahiers said...

Yay! That was my guess!
I'm still hoping for a (good) Ender's Game movie

Helen Ginger said...

The technology just keeps advancing. I loved Avatar. I'm a little leery of what the experience might be for something like Silence of the Lambs.

Helen
Straight From Hel

Marvin D Wilson said...

I knew it. I KNEW you'd kick off the challenge with Avatar, lol. Good job.

The Old Silly

Adele said...

Avatar, story was weak but visually gorgeous. Hmm, I think the current 3D tech might be able to do justice to Weaveworld or the Imajica so i'd like to see one of those done now.

DEZMOND said...

What a strange challenge, seems to Spartan and limiting for me :PP

Yep, I expected AVATAR would win that much and possibly more.

Although I wasn't overamazed by the movie, and was left pretty much cold and impassive after watching it, I do love how it brought millions of people back to cinemas at the time when thousands of cinemas are being closed around the world and when watching movies in front of the big screen is pretty much American pastime while most people around the world are just forced to steal movies off the Net :((

Alex, will you go to watch TITANS this weekend?

DEZMOND said...

and yes, for the fans of SHANARA, I had a post about the possible movie over in HOLLYWOOD SPY last year, here's the link:
http://hollywood-spy.blogspot.com/2009/07/elfstones-of-shannara-shall-shine-on.html

Unknown said...

I just saw How to Train a Dragon and saw the three d version. I can't imagine that movie not in three d now. The flying sequences were breathtaking.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Arlee. I can think of some big bug movies they shouldn't do - does that count?

Falen, Ender's Game would be cool.

Helen, that is a scary thought.

Marvin, of course I would begin with Avatar!

Hagelrat, Weaveworld would be good, too.

Dez, and even if the story was simple, I still thought Avatar rocked. Yes, I will be seeing Clash of the Titans, although might not be in 3D. None of the theaters around me have it in 3D.
Possible Shanara movie? I'm there!

Survivormama said...

I still have not seen this movie Avatar...sounds good but just not my thing I guess..I did like the post so thanks for sharing and thanks for participating in the A to Z Challenge!

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

I have to be one of the last people on earth (except for Shannon)who hasn't seen Avatar…yet - so those numbers may still rise.

Wanda said...

Hadn't seen this movie but you're off to good start on the challenge. I'm trying it myself.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Looks like those numbers may indeed rise higher!

Shannon and Wanda, have fun with the challenge.

Gregg Metcalf said...

I have not seen the movie. I probably won't. I haven't seen an Star Treck yet and etc. I am not into Sci-Fi ect.

However, I did enjoy reading your post!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks, Gregg! Sorry, I am a diehard sci-fi fan.

Liza said...

Alex, thank you for following Middle Passages. I haven't seen Avatar yet, so can't comment on numbers...but I'm looking forward to the month as you complete your challenge.

Anonymous said...

I left a comment on someone else's blog last week re: how on earth (even now) would they film The City and The City by China Mieville. Nobody else knew either, though :)

Beth Zimmerman said...

Admittedly I am coming at this from a different point of view than most. I read almost exclusively Christian literature. I do venture into other mediums some times but am fairly intolerant of gratuitous foul language or graphic violence or sex scenes. But I love fantasy and sci fi. Some of my favorites are the Legends of The Guardian King series by Karen Hancock and in my opinion they would make good movies! :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks for visiting here, Liza!

And Beth, that is the nice thing about (most) science fiction - it doesn't contain the gratuitous sex or language that are present in most genres. Because I don't care for it in books, either. (Forgive me, I am a little more tolerant when it comes to movies, though.)

Unknown said...

Lot's of interesting facts about Avatar. I haven't seen the movie yet but I will when it comes out on DVD. Thanks for stopping by my blog

Jemi Fraser said...

There are some books I just don't want to see made into movies - they're too dear to my heart and I don't want them 'ruined' :)

I was so worried about LotR, but I think they did a good job. I wonder if someone will someday take on the punny world of Piers Anthony :)

Glynis Peters said...

A good start Alex. I opted out of the pressure, lol.

Jamie Gibbs said...

I agree that Avatar has now opened up so much more potential with regards to what we can do visually, but I fear that the awe factor may leave the story to stagnate a little (I've too often seen visuals become so predominant that there is little consideration for the story or the characters, since the audience's attention is so enraptured in what's being shoved in their face).

What I would like to see in movie form, however, is Ian Irvine's Geomancer. It's got a kind of industrial fantasy feel to it, like steampunk with magic added into the mix. The new visual technology would make the magically powered machines look beautifu.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks for visiting, Carol.

LOTR was excellent, Jemi, but you're right - they butcher so many.

Jamie, you mean movies like Transformers II? Cool package, nothing inside.

Anonymous said...

Loved LOtR, disappointed in the Narnia movies so far -- would love to see Shannara brought to life, but only if it would be good! Allanon has long been a great favorite of mine, despite the silly name. (Did Brooks not know about Al-a-non?)

Maurice Mitchell said...

I know they're working on a movie based on the Asimov Foundation series. Hopefully that will take advantage of new technology to make it truly epic in scope to match the feel of the novels.