Avatar is my ‘Desert Island’ franchise
If I had to pick just one franchise to take with me to a desert island, it would be Avatar. Out of all of them it’s the most well-rounded and encompassing story world out there. It has everything I love:
Tolkien: Like Middle-earth, Pandora offers a grand saga with intricate world-building. Every plant, animal, and culture feels like it has a purpose, a history, and a connection to the larger narrative.
Oddworld: The eternal conflict of nature vs. industry is front and center, with the RDA representing humanity’s relentless greed while Pandora showcases the beauty and resilience of nature.
Star Wars: The story taps into Campbellian myth, with Jake’s hero’s journey mirroring classic archetypes, yet set in an entirely unique world.
Wizarding World: Unlike distant galaxies, Pandora is rooted on Earth—literally a few decades away. That connection lets you dream it might actually exist out there, just around the corner.
Jurassic Park: The creatures of Pandora evoke both terror and wonder. Like Jurassic Park (especially the first one), they feel grounded in a realistic framework, making the awe hit harder.
National Geographic: James Cameron’s obsession with scientific accuracy brings Pandora to life like a nature documentary for an alien world. Every ecosystem and culture feels deeply researched and authentic.
Halo: Pandora’s lush environments and the militaristic clash of the RDA with the Na’vi echo the verdant battlefields and war stories of Halo.
Dune: an outsider who joins the natives and helps lead them against their oppressors.
Barsoom: The classic “transported to another world, help the natives” trope, but done with nuance and care, avoiding clichés while exploring the bonds between different cultures.
Humanity and Nature: perhaps the most important part, Avatar is stripped back and timeless, speaking to audiences on a subconscious level that still exists from our time as a more tribal, primitive and connected species
For me, Avatar is the closest thing we have to a be-all, end-all franchise right now.
It’s a world you can get lost in too — I think Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is like a dream come true, I find myself returning to it often.
With The Way of Water raising the bar, I’m beyond stoked for Avatar: Fire and Ash, 4 and 5 and wherever Cameron and his successor (presumably) takes us beyond that.
Is there another franchise that even comes close to how all-encompassing Avatar is?