James Cameron brought us Titanic, Terminator, Alita: Battle Angel, The Abyss and Avatar. While there weren't any alien beings in Titanic (at least none that we know of besides Billy Zane) it seems as though he's constantly pushing the boundaries of what's out there - from a filmmaking and an out-of-this-world perspective. Whether it's the depths of space or the ocean, much like Spielberg, cameron has a real thing for what lies beyond the beyond.

That's why the long-awaited sequel to the highest-grossing film of all-time is starting to spark renewed interest. It's been long enough that some will have forgotten much of what made the original Avatar special (or not so special). Having tied into the idea of epic over-arching trilogies such as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, it seems as though Avatar is trying to summon up all the appeal it can muster. Kate Winslet and Jemaine Clement have joined the cast with many role reprisals from the original.

Avatar was the movie that lost out to Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker at the Academy Awards, a decision that still seems correct in hindsight. However, what makes Avatar special is it's spectacular scope of ideas and visuals. Cameron's talent is world-building... able to conjure up the seemingly impossible and suspend it long enough for viewers to be transported. While Avatar has taken a great deal of flack over the years with snide parallels to Thundercats, Smurfs and even Fern Gully, it's the kind of cinematic event that carries overwhelming curiosity. The kind of cat-like curiousity that probably made the first movie a massive hit. While there are still question marks over Sam Worthington whose role almost served as an avatar to create a vicarious experience, let's hope Cameron has taken the criticism onboard.

Based on the trailer, there's not a major shift in terms of the design, which was to be expected. Cameron seems to be more concerned with realising the visuals according to lighting and texture, which is probably where all the advanced CGI is taking place. It's still spectacular and all the flying and lush fantasy will probably make people think of How to Train Your Dragon. One possible issue raised by the teaser trailer may be the balance of real versus unreal with the original giving a healthy dose of humans to ground the film against the kingdom of Pandora.

The teaser trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water is now available in the build-up to the film's release on December 16. The first movie was a box office sensation and given the flagging nature of cinema attendance and the steady recovery on the back of big superhero releases, it couldn't come soon enough.

Set more than 10 years after the events of the first Avatar, the sequel Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family. Jake, Neytiri and their children are the focal point as the story gets to grips with the troubles, dangers and battles they must endure. The film stars Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Jemaine Clement and Kate Winslet.