Filmmaker James Cameron’s recently released ‘Avatar’ sequel is the latest to have faced a boycott call from audiences.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ hit the worldwide theatres over the past weekend, and while it enjoys a raging success across the globe, the film has been mired in a new controversy.
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A boycott campaign against the film is active on social media as the netizens alleged director James Cameron of ‘racism’ and ‘cultural appropriation’ of Native American and Indigenous people.
A bunch of Native American professionals have accused Cameron of ‘appropriating the cultures and histories of various Indigenous cultures for the benefit of making a film’ that features a largely white cast.
Yuè Begay, a Native American influencer and co-chair of Indigenous Pride LA turned to the micro-blogging site and tweeted, “Join Natives & other Indigenous groups around the world in boycotting this horrible & racist film. Our cultures were appropriated in a harmful manner to satisfy some man’s savior complex.”
Do NOT watch Avatar: The Way of Water
Join Natives & other Indigenous groups around the world in boycotting this horrible & racist film. Our cultures were appropriated in a harmful manner to satisfy some 🏳 man’s savior complex.
No more Blueface!
Lakota people are powerful! pic.twitter.com/NmHVU565u3— 🌽Asdzáá Tłʼéé honaaʼéí🌽(She/Her)🌽 (@asdza_tlehonaei) December 18, 2022
“No more Blueface,” she added.
Another social user, Autumn Asher BlackDeer, an assistant professor noted, “Why watch a ridiculous movie about blue aliens when you could just support actual Indigenous people and our struggle for clean water here on Earth? Yes, we do exist.”
Why watch a ridiculous movie about blue aliens when you could just support actual Indigenous people and our struggle for clean water here on Earth? Yes, we do exist.
— Dr. BlackDeer (@DrBlackDeer) December 16, 2022
One of the Native American attorneys, Brett Chapman also offered his two cents in the debate and penned, “Avatar was a White savior story at its core and James Cameron said the Lakota should have ‘fought harder’ with the foresight that their descendants would all be suicidal.”
Avatar was a White savior story at its core and James Cameron said the Lakota should have “fought harder” with the foresight that their descendants would all be suicidal. I won’t be seeing the new one. It does nothing for Native Americans but suck oxygen for itself at our expense https://t.co/A1Lp5rw66f
— Brett Chapman (@brettachapman) December 17, 2022
He concluded by saying, “I won’t be seeing the new one. It does nothing for Native Americans but suck oxygen for itself at our expense.”
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ opens shy of Box Office forecasts
About ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, the sequel, set over a decade after the events in the first film, sees the return of Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana to reprise their characters of Jake Sully and his Na’vi partner Neytiri respectively, while, the Academy Award winner Kate Winslet essays Ronal.
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James Cameron has helmed the direction and also co-written the film with Josh Friedman and co-produced alongside Jon Landau, Peter M. Tobyansen, David Valdes and Brigitte Yorke.
The mega-budgeted ‘Avatar’ sequel premiered in worldwide theatres over the past weekend and racked up roughly $435 million around the globe, including $134 million in the United States and Canada.
