Drawing inspiration from different sources is an essential part of the artistic process for many people. There are plenty of ways to honor art, from using similar colors to simply recreating the source. That even applies to legendary directors, including James Cameron and his iconic film, Avatar.
Avatar features the beautiful world of Pandora and the being called Na'vi that live there. The film follows a paralyzed ex-Marine as his mind links to an Avatar -- a human and Na'vi hybrid. With this new body, he regains mobility and is able to move freely among the blue beings. And after falling for a Na'vi woman, he’s thrust into a fight to protect the world of Pandora.
Avatar Found Inspiration in Dances With Wolves
As it turns out, Avatar's story was already used in a movie back in 1990 -- the Oscar-winning film called Dances With Wolves. This movie, starring Kevin Costner, follows his character, a Civil War soldier. In it, he discovers a tribe of Native Americans and develops a strong relationship with the group. He chooses to leave his old life behind and embrace the tribe. Of course, he also falls in love with a woman in the tribe. The conflict in this film happens when other soldiers arrive to seize the tribal land.
There's no shortage of parallels here. In fact, the two movies are incredibly similar in their foundations. Cameron has even admitted that his film is just "Dances With Wolves in space." And he's right, as both stories are about wounded military men being mesmerized by endangered tribes and their cultures.
James Cameron's Avatar Is Still a Pop Culture Phenomenon
Despite the plot being unoriginal, Avatar is still one beloved movie. It was groundbreaking when it released in 2009 and broke plenty of box office records. But the stability of the recycled plot combined with the extraordinary use of CGI and vibrant colors makes Avatar truly unique. Even now, 13 years later, it's as iconic as ever. And to add to its cultural impact, its upcoming sequels are highly anticipated.
James Cameron has been pretty open about the creative process behind some of his well-known movies. But while many of his technical advances are original and groundbreaking, the same can't be said for the story of his most successful film. However, reused story or not, Avatar has left an indelible mark on pop culture.