Blue lights on the Morrison Bridge are promoting the movie, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’

It may have taken 13 years to get here, but the much-anticipated sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water” is arriving with a huge promotional push, including advertisements, endless articles and the broadcast TV premiere of the original “Avatar,” which aired Dec. 11 on ABC. Now, even Portland is getting into the “Avatar: The Way of Water” hype, which explains why the Morrison Bridge is currently illuminated with blue lights.

As a helpful press release from Allied Global Marketing explains, 20th Century Studios has lit up the Morrrison Bridge from Dec. 11 through Dec. 17, to celebrate the Dec. 16 opening of “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

In case you’ve somehow missed out on the hubbub, filmmaker James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” is the long-discussed follow-up to his blockbuster hit, “Avatar.” That 2009 film was a futuristic sci-fi adventure following former Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) who found himself torn between a mission and his growing bond with the Na’vi, the people who populate Pandora, a distant moon.

The sequel focuses on the Sully family, including his partner, Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and their children, and a new battle to protect their home and way of life. Early reviews have praised “Avatar: The Way of Water” for its evocation of another world, specifically the underwater scenes.

So, where do Portland and the Morrison Bridge come into all this? Let’s go to that press release: “‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ explores the themes of sustainability and water as a uniting force. Portland’s 12 bridges span the Willamette River and connect the two sides of the city. Each bridge including the centrally located Morrison Bridge are vital to Portland’s way of life. Therefore, the Morrison Bridge takeover makes perfect sense to celebrate the end of a 13-year long hiatus between the sequel and the groundbreaking original film.”

And there’s an environmental aspect too, per the press release: “Portland, already being an environmentally friendly city, has factored in sustainability in the bridge light display. The bridge lights conform with dark skies policies to prevent light pollution. The lights shine directly on the bridge, not into the sky or down into the water, where they might disturb endangered salmon.”

More “Avatar” is on the way. Cameron has said he plans to make three, count ‘em three, more sequels. “Avatar 3″ is scheduled to premiere Dec. 20, 2024; “Avatar 4″ is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2026; and “Avatar 5″ is scheduled to open Dec. 22, 2028.

— Kristi Turnquist

503-221-8227; kturnquist@oregonian.com; @Kristiturnquist

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