Bringing Avatar’s Beloved Creatures to Life: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

In the Avatar universe, animals are often hybrid creatures, and the production team wanted to stay true to this detail. They started by studying the imagery from the animated series and sought real-world representations of those visual ideas. This resulted in a library of visual information and language that informed the physical and digital builds of all the creatures.

One of the most beloved creatures from the series is Appa, the sky bison. The team wanted to maintain the flying silhouette seen in the animated series, so they used manatees as a reference for Appa’s tail and buffalo for his eyes and horns. On set, the actors interacted with a full-size Appa rig, which allowed them to experience the sensation of flying through the air. The VFX team then added the necessary emotions to Appa’s character to match the scene and the actor’s performance.

Momo, the winged lemur, also required careful consideration. The team wanted to ensure that Momo felt real and retained the personality seen in the animated series. They studied various monkeys and lemurs for reference, paying close attention to Momo’s expressive eyes.

The badger mole, another iconic creature from the show, took inspiration from bears, particularly in terms of its weight and movement. As for the ostrich horses, they were portrayed by stunt vehicles with a saddle and a stunt driver underneath the actors.

Showrunner Albert Kim believes that audiences will fall in love with the characters, the emotional journey, the storyline, the epic action, and the humor of the live-action adaptation. However, he predicts that Appa and Momo will be the fan favorites.

With the dedication and attention to detail shown by the production team in bringing these beloved creatures to life, it’s clear that they are committed to staying true to the spirit of the animated series. Fans can expect a visually stunning and emotionally captivating experience when the series finally hits the screen.