James Cameron announced that he is moving to Pandora, home of the Na’vi and all that valuable unobtanium. I’m not kidding.
Yes, Pandora is a fictional destination, but does that really make it fake? After Avatar was released, audiences became so entranced by Pandora and its environment that they became hooked. Whatever your thoughts on Avatar-overwrought, reductive, indulgent-it was certainly an achievement unlike any before it in terms of immersive 3D world-building. For some Na’vi lovers, being forced to leave the cinema and return to normal life was a source of depression and withdrawal, CNN reported in 2010.
It seems that James Cameron can empathize. The director announced this week that he is directing four new films in the Avatar series, giving audiences a chance to return to Pandora in what are sure to be immersive, lush experiences. Talking to theater owners this week, Cameron said the Avatar sequels will be forthcoming in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023.
What a commitment. Said Cameron: “The next time I see you will be on Pandora.”
All that Avatar does little to excite me. But the idea of spending a decade in a fictional, fantastical world? That would be Ken Tremendous. In that regard, Pandora has a lot going for it. Harmony with nature, magical beasts to tame and ride, hair-sex. But Pandora’s not without its downsides, namely, mining interests with mech-tech that can blow your sacred tree to bits.
So, if not Pandora, then were? Here’s a few what sci-fi worlds you might considered spending the next decade inhabiting.
Upside: Oz is a colorful world, full of welcoming creatures, both humanoid and non. The world of Oz also seems designed specifically to teach lessons tailored to the needs of its inhabitants. Need a heart? Here’s a journey to partake. Boom, here’s a heart. It’s also a musical world, and while in the movies, musicals can sometimes be a bummer, living IN a musical world would be pure delight.
Downside: The Witch Politics seem like a continually ugly part of Oz’s culture. Enough perhaps to send one back to their boring daily life.
Upside: The vistas are beautiful. The trees are stunning and the treehouses are even better. The furry little woodland creatures would make for endless entertainments. Ewoks, I believe they are called. They value story time, celebrations with big meals, but don’t be fooled by their primitive attire and abodes, these muppets have plenty of creativity, ingenuity and playfulness to make your stay a treat.
Downside: Being mistaken for a god might lead to being burned alive.
Middle EarthUpside: Life as a hobbit in Hobbiton. Just relax, drink a beer if that’s your thing, smoke a pipe if that’s your thing; Hobbiton seems like a place of goodwill and little judgment. And they love food.
Downside: Life as anything else, anywhere else. I mean yeah, the elves had a good run for a real long time, but not anymore. And the humans are always mad at each other, and the ways to be killed are just endless: troll attack, orc attack, Sauron attack, drownings, Mount Doom explosions, being touched by a Morgul blade. Who wants the risk?
Upside: Attending Hogwarts. Life in Hogwarts Castle would be full of surprises, but most of them would be worth it because if you went to Hogwarts you could do magic. Fucking Magic!
Downside: Eugenics-obsessed white power wizards who continue to make life miserable for the modern progressive wing of Wizardry. Get your shit together, Malfoys and friends.
Mars
Upside: Alone time. Pack your bucket list of books to read and set up for the beautiful deserts of Mars.
Downside: Constant threat of immediate death from even the smallest misstep or accident.
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