New photos from 'Avatar 2' set reveal James Cameron's clever underwater filming trick

The film is set for release in December 2021, 12 years after the original blockbuster

New pictures from the set of 'Avatar 2' show the methods used by director James Cameron for filming underwater scenes. Twitter / Official Avatar

It has been more than a decade since Avatar was released, and next year fans will finally get to see the first of four sequels in the works from James Cameron.

When it was released in 2009, the film, set in the imagined world of Pandora, broke box office records, grossing a total of $2.79 billion (Dh10.2 billion) and winning three Oscars for its groundbreaking use of CGI and immersive 3D.

And with Avatar 2 slotted for a December 2021 release, fans have been given a glimpse behind the scenes at the methods Cameron and the production team are using for the spectacle, which will this time take audiences to the oceans of Pandora.

Two new photos released on the production’s official Twitter account revealed some details about how the underwater scenes are being filmed. But yes, these will be a 'throwback Thursday' as the film's team is currently only working on things that can be done remotely at the moment.

In the newly released photos, Cameron, who is famously a deep-sea diver himself, is seen directing from above as a number of actors and crew members float on top of a specially created deep water vat.

“Fun fact: That layer of white on the water's surface is comprised of floating balls that prevent lights from interfering with filming underwater,” the tweet said.

The sequel was originally slotted for a 2015 release, but a number of delays has seen it pushed back. And with movie production on pause around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, there's a chance Avatar 2 could join a number of major blockbusters such as the latest James Bond movie No Time To Die in facing further delays.

However, for the time being, the film is sticking with its December 2021 release date, and is continuing the virtual production of its many visual effect elements.