‘Avatar: The Way Of Water,’ ‘NOPE’ Make Visual Effects Oscar Shortlist

Mike Hill, the film editor who, along with editing partner Dan Hanley, cut 22 consecutive Ron Howard feature films beginning with Night Shift in 1982 through Heart of the Sea in 2015, died of Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia (COP) January 5 at his home in Omaha, Nebraska. He was 73.

Prince Harry did not hold back in his memoir, Spare. After detailing fights with brother Prince William and father King Charles III, will Harry be able to mend fences with the royal family?

Slow and steady wins the race, especially if you’re James Cameron and the world always seems to be skeptical about your chances. It’s been said never to bet against Cameron.

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has now officially, and as projected, crossed the $1 billion mark at the international box office with Tuesday’s grosses included. What’s more for this 20th Century Studios/Disney juggernaut, at $1,482.5M worldwide through Tuesday, the epic sci-fi sequel is next on its way to yet another milestone and will top $1.5B global when today’s numbers are factored. In doing so, it will become the No. 1 worldwide release of 2022, surpassing Top Gun: Maverick’s $1.489B.

Gale Anne Hurd has been selected by the Visual Effects Society (VES) as the next recipient of the VES Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her contributions to visual arts and filmed entertainment. The award will be presented at the 21st Annual VES Awards on February 15, 2023, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Refresh for latest…: James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water rang in the New Year with another $186.7M from 52 international markets for a $1.379B global cume to date. Excluding China, the film rose 4% from last weekend’s Christmas frame offshore (including China it was even with last session). The international box office now stands at an estimated $957M, meaning Way of Water will cross $1B overseas early this week. 

Any cynicism about a broken down Christmas box office, impacted by weather, was wiped away Tuesday as 20th Century Studios/Disney/Lightstorm’s Avatar: The Way of Water racked up $23.8M sending its domestic cume to $317.1M. In addition, the sequel flew past the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office. Director James Cameron has told the media that the breakeven point for Avatar: The Way of Water stands at $2 billion global mark.

Never bet against James Cameron, they said. And while “Avatar: The Way Of Water” got off to somewhat of a slow box office start—or at least it fell under some of the early projections which made pundits quickly skeptical of its chances—the Cameron maxim seems to be coming true.

With strong and consistent mid-weeks, James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has crested the $600M mark worldwide. This comes after it rapidly passed $500M global earlier this week, following its $441.6M opening weekend. The current worldwide total through Wednesday is $609.7M including $426.8M from the international box office.

It’s no secret that James Cameron wants the world of Pandora in his “Avatar” franchise to look as realistic as possible. But it’s not all about digital verisimilitude for the director; it’s a practical feature in casting, too.

“Avatar: The Way Of Water” is now in theaters, and only time will tell if it’s another massive financial success for James Cameron. It’s off to a good start, in any case: $550 million at the global box office so far.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today revealed the 15-film shortlist of movies that will advance to the nominations process for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. As we have previously reported, this is a year without a hands-down front-runner, and all of the movies in our preview have made the cut. See the full shortlist below.

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING“All Quiet on the Western Front”“Amsterdam”“Babylon”“The Batman”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”“Blonde”“Crimes of the Future”“Elvis”“Emancipation”“The Whale”SOUND“All Quiet on the Western Front”“Avatar: The Way of Water”“Babylon”“The Batman”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”“Elvis”“Everything Everywhere All at Once”“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”“Moonage Daydream”“Top Gun: Maverick”VISUAL EFFECTS“All Quiet on the Western Front”“Avatar: The Way of Water”“The Batman”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”“Jurassic World Dominion”“Nope”“Thirteen Lives”“Top Gun: Maverick”

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water has grossed $497.1M globally through Monday, well on its way across the half a billion mark worldwide when Tuesday’s take is tallied. 

Heartfelt tributes have flooded in for a 'truly lovely' missing Scots woman after a body was found in the search for her.

Ward has been named executive director of the Visual Effects Society — the first woman to lead the honorary society. She had served as interim executive director since the retirement of longtime executive director Eric Roth in September.

James Cameron likes his female heroines as strong and capable as possible. For instance, take Sigourney Weaver‘s Ellen Ripley in “Aliens” or Linda Hamilton‘s Sarah Connor in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” But according to Cameron, Kate Winslet‘s Ronal in “Avatar: The Way Of Water” is the director’s most “empowering” female action hero yet.