It’s the most expensive production Fox Films has ever made. Director James Cameron probably spent more than $300 million, the cost of the last “most expensive film ever made,” Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Fox teamed up with Cameron for Titanic (1997), which at the time cost a record-breaking $200 million but earned more than $1.8 billion worldwide.

Now Fox is investing heavily to promote Cameron’s Avatar as a technically advanced epic that’s a game-changer for the movie industry, heralding a new era of 3D movies. Cameron has had the film in his mind for more than a decade, waiting for technology to catch up with his vision. Cameron has even created a new film camera that combines computer-generated imagery with live action so he could simultaneously watch the virtual world as he shot the live scenes.

And another innovation from Cameron: he substantially reduced the size of 3D cameras used. Fox says more and more live-action films will be done in 3D as the technology expands further.

Fox already credits Avatar for encouraging theatre owners to make the change over both to digital and to 3D capability. They predict audiences will soon come to expect 3D movies and 3D will become the most dominant film form.

To see the latest trailer (in 2D – but all sorts of resolutions) go to:  http://www.avatarmovie.com/