Avatar CGI Water Simulation Comparison
The Avatar movies stand out for their stunning computer-generated imagery, especially the way they handle water. James Cameron’s team at Weta FX has pushed water simulations to new heights across the films, making oceans, splashes, and underwater worlds feel real. In the original Avatar from 2009, water played a smaller role with basic effects for rain and small streams. But Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022 changed everything by focusing on massive underwater scenes.
Weta FX created over 3,200 visual effects shots for The Way of Water, with a huge emphasis on Pandora’s oceans and reefs. They built new tools to simulate water behavior like bubbles, currents, and light filtering through the depths. Actors performed in real water tanks while submerged, and the studio captured their movements to blend with CGI seas and creatures. This made Na’vi swimming and sea battles look natural and emotional. For more details on this breakdown, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANmawvbOpCY.
Now, Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film released in late 2025, builds directly on those advances. The team refined water simulation techniques right after The Way of Water won the visual effects Oscar at the 95th Academy Awards. They improved how water shifts between spray, fog, and big volumes, creating smoother and more realistic flows. Fire and Ash has over 2,000 water FX shots, about the same number as the second movie, even though the story shifts to fiery landscapes on Pandora. Weta FX handled 94% of the film’s 3,382 total effects shots. Learn more from this report at https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2025/12/23/Z6LK3PLOBRH6NIPI6AKSXQ3VNE/.
What sets Fire and Ash apart is blending water with fire and ash effects. While the second film mastered pure underwater realism, the third adds chaos like explosions near water or misty sprays amid flames. Weta FX layered simulations for lava flows, particles, and water interactions, using data from volcanic sets with heat lamps and smoke. This hybrid approach keeps water dynamic even in a scorched Pandora. A video on performance capture tech shows how they integrated these elements, available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERH0jgyFgsk.
Overall, the progression shows Weta FX evolving from detailed ocean simulations in The Way of Water to versatile water tech in Fire and Ash that works with fire and destruction. Each film raises the bar, proving water CGI can adapt to any environment on Pandora.
Sources
https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2025/12/23/Z6LK3PLOBRH6NIPI6AKSXQ3VNE/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANmawvbOpCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERH0jgyFgsk
