Skip to main content

James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar joins the Disney+ launch lineup

Disney’s $71.3 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox’s deep and eclectic catalog is beginning to bear fruit. In a press release, Disney announced that Avatar, James Cameron’s high-tech, sci-fi adventure film, will be available on Disney+ in the United States, Canada, and The Netherlands on November 12, which just happens to be the streaming service’s debut day.

Avatar wasn’t one of the 600 or so titles originally unveiled as part of the Disney+ launch lineup, and wasn’t featured in Disney’s three-plus hour preview of (almost) every movie and TV show hitting Disney+ on the 12th. However, it’s clear why Disney would want to reintroduce audiences to the world of Pandora as soon as possible: James Cameron is currently working on not one, not two, not three, but four Avatar sequels, all of which will debut under the Disney brand. The first Avatar sequel is scheduled to arrive in 2021.

Related Videos

On its release in 2009, Avatar blew audiences away with its groundbreaking special effects and best-in-class 3D picture. The film earned $2.789 billion at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing film of all time until Avengers: Endgame (which is headed to Disney+ this December) took the record earlier this year.

Avatar tells the story of a human who joins a race of aliens known as the Na’vi through futuristic body-swapping technology, ultimately helping Pandora’s native population fight off the planet’s greedy human settlers. The film was directed by James Cameron and stars Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, and Giovanni Ribisi.

Avatar isn’t the only Fox film that’s part of the Disney+ lineup, although it’s arguably the highest-profile one. Other Fox productions in the Disney+ catalog include Miracle on 34th Street, The Sandlot, The Sound of Music, and Rookie of the Year. Disney+ will also host every single season of Fox’s The Simpsons.

Disney+ launches on November 12, and will cost $7 a month, or $70 for an annual subscription. In addition to a huge library of Disney classics, Disney+ will also be the exclusive home to a host of TV shows set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and live-action Star Wars spin-offs like The Mandalorian.

Editors' Recommendations

How to change the language on Disney+
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Disney+ doesn't just have thousands of hours of classic and new entertainment to enjoy from the likes of Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more. Much like DVDs and Blu-ray discs, the streaming service also is packed with extra features, including behind-the-scenes documentaries, deleted scenes, gag reels, and, of course, multiple audio and subtitle tracks.

And this is all true not just for a Disney+ subscription, but also if you've got the Disney Bundle. That's a sweet deal that gets you Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for just $14 a month — basically you're getting all three for the price of two services. That's tough to beat.

Read more
How to turn off subtitles on Disney+
The Disney Plus app interface on a smart TV.

Oh, glorious Disney. The lifeblood of our childhoods and the all-giving hub of fun and fancy-free, the Disney brand has been around for nearly a century, encompassing everything from Mickey and his cartoon companions to the famous theme parks built on Walt's dreams. Not to mention that the company is also home to a bevy of acquisitions, from 20th Century Fox's catalog to Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic. In 2019, Disney+ launched, a streaming app encompassing nearly all of Disney's film and TV show archive, with new originals and offerings from the company's acquisitions to round out the roster.

And even more powerful is the Disney Bundle, which gets you Disney+, ESPN+ and a basic Hulu subscription for just $14 a month, which basically means you're getting three services for the price of two.

Read more
How to delete a Disney+ profile
how to watch disney plus on vizio smart tv

Disney+ enrolled more than 10 million subscribers in the first 24 hours of launch. Although the release wasn't exactly seamless, users still have a lot to look forward to, with content from Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and National Geographic, not to mention Disney's extensive vault of classic films and Disney Channel original movies and shows. Oh, and don't forget high-profile shows like The Simpsons.

With such an enormous content library, Disney+ has something for everyone. And to make sure everyone in your home can take advantage of it, Disney+ allows you to set up to 10 distinct profiles so everybody using an account can access personal watchlists, save shows to watch later, and receive better recommendations via Disney’s algorithm. After all, your 3-year-old might not quite grasp the nuances of The Simpsons episodes the system recommends based on your watch history.

Read more