It has been over three months since the release of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and the cinematic spectacle crafted by James Cameron has continued to captivate audiences globally, achieving box office success that surpasses one billion dollars. However, as the film continues to show in theaters worldwide, the second installment of the Avatar franchise is currently generating buzz regarding a particular scene.
Recently, many viewers have been sharing stills from a scene in the film, specifically featuring the character Spider (played by Jack Champion) pulling his father figure, Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), out of the water. Surprisingly, during this moment, Spider seems to have a… missing lower half, which has left viewers quite bewildered.
The image has sparked significant discussion among the Avatar fan community, especially among those who have seen the film multiple times but have yet to discover this “missing” aspect. So, what is the truth behind this peculiar detail?
The reality of Spider’s missing lower half could very well be true, but it seems to be an intentional choice by the Avatar 2 team. According to a recent discussion in a film production forum, the character Spider was not recorded in that scene with a lower half, and instead, it is entirely a product of digital effects. Actor Jack Champion was suspended on a harness, without water, next to Quaritch, which was then made to appear as if they were submerged using visual effects techniques.
At this point, the film crew had to digitally insert water into the scene. However, Champion’s legs appeared quite short compared to Quaritch’s character. Therefore, the film team decided to completely “cut” out the lower half of the character, replacing it with a digital creation to provide a natural movement for the character while simultaneously enhancing the visual effect of the water cascading down his legs.
Thus, there is no scene of Spider losing a part of his body on screen; what we have seen is merely a composite effect created to produce a new physical form for the character using visual effects. This remarkable feat showcases the incredible creativity and technical prowess of the Avatar production team, crafting one of the most visually stunning cinematic experiences in film history.
Image: 20th Century Studios
