Maps of Movies

Avatar (2009)

Where Avatar says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

Every place in the story is a made-up moon. The real map is a Los Angeles hangar, a Wellington studio, and a Chinese mountain park.

Scenes and places

The mining base on Pandora (2154)

Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine, arrives as a replacement operator for the avatar program his twin brother was meant to join. He is out of his depth from the start.

Set in RDA mining base, Pandora — The human mining outpost on the moon Pandora, where the RDA digs for unobtanium.

The human base on the moon Pandora.

Lost in the forest (2154)

On his first outing in the forest, Jake is attacked by wild animals and flees deep into the wilderness. Alone and unprepared, he is saved by a stranger.

Set in Pandora's forest — The wilderness where Jake, in his avatar body, is attacked by wild animals.

A dense, glowing rainforest on the moon.

Taken to the clan (2154)

Neytiri, suspicious of Jake, brings him to her clan. Her mother Mo'at orders her to teach him their ways.

Set in Omaticaya clan home — The Na'vi clan's territory, where Neytiri brings Jake.

Home territory of the Omaticaya clan.

Hometree (2154)

Jake is torn between two sides. Quaritch wants him to report on the Na'vi, while Jake falls in love with Neytiri as the clan initiates him.

Set in Hometree — The giant tree where the clan gathers, standing over a rich deposit of unobtanium.

The clan's giant home, built on top of a mineral deposit the humans want.

The bulldozer standoff (2154)

Jake tries to stop a bulldozer from wrecking a sacred site. The attempt backfires and pushes the RDA toward an attack on the clan.

Set in A sacred Na'vi site — A site holy to the Na'vi that the RDA's bulldozers threaten.

A place the Na'vi hold sacred, in the path of the mining machines.

Riding the Toruk (2154)

Jake wins back the Na'vi's trust by bonding with the Toruk, a creature the clan both fears and reveres. Neytiri and the new chief stand by him as he rallies the clans.

Set in Toruk — The dragon-like creature Jake bonds with to regain the clan's trust.

A feared and revered flying creature.

Prayer at the Tree of Souls (2154)

With the RDA about to assault the Tree of Souls, Jake prays to the goddess Eywa through a neural link with the tree.

Set in The Tree of Souls — The sacred tree the RDA prepares to assault, where Jake prays before the battle.

The holiest tree of the Na'vi, linked to all life on Pandora.

Filmed at Hughes Aircraft stage, Playa Vista, Los Angeles — Motion-capture filming Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Weta Digital soundstages, Wellington — Live-action filming Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China — Design inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Jake Sully — A paraplegic Marine who takes his twin brother's place in the avatar program.
• Neytiri — A Na'vi woman of the Omaticaya clan who rescues Jake and brings him to her people.