History ShoutOut / Avatar

** An army of human SpaceMarines in battleships and mech suits versus a race of blue-skinned, three-meter aliens with neural connections in hair-like braids and psionic-like powers, as well as a hivemind of ferocious predators? Sounds like ''Starcraft''. The shout out seems to go both ways as as the Terrans have a similar FutureCopter unit called the ''Banshee'', and used PowerArmor walkers to fire heavy machine guns, like a prototypical Terran Marine.

** An army of human SpaceMarines in battleships and mech suits versus a race of blue-skinned, three-meter aliens with neural connections in hair-like braids and psionic-like powers, as well as a hivemind of ferocious predators? Sounds like ''Starcraft''. The shout out seems to go both as as the Terrans have a similar FutureCopter unit called the ''Banshee''.

** Likewise, the Na'vi and their BondCreature culture and reverence towards trees and use of flier-mounted archers is very similar to ''Warcraft'' Night Elves. The Night Elves also have intelligent megafauna in their ranks to supplement their armies. The [=RDA=] are more like the ''Starcraft'' Terrans than the Orcish Horde, who comes into conflict with the Night Elves.

** Likewise, the Na'vi and their BondCreature culture and reverence towards trees and use of flier-mounted archers is very similar to ''Warcraft'' Night Elves. The Night Elves also have intelligent megafauna in their ranks to supplement their armies.

* An army of human SpaceMarines in battleships and mech suits versus a race of blue-skinned, three-meter aliens with neural connections in hair-like braids and psionic-like powers, as well as a hivemind of ferocious predators? Hmm, [[VideoGame/StarCraft where have we seen this before?]]

* An army of human SpaceMarines in battleships and mech suits versus a race of blue-skinned, three-meter aliens with neural connections and psionic-like powers, as well as a hivemind of ferocious predators? Hmm, [[VideoGame/StarCraft where have we seen this before?]]

* An army of human SpaceMarines in battleships and mech suits versus a race of blue-skinned, three-meter aliens with neural connections and psionic-like powers, as well as a hivemind of ferocious predators? Hmm, [[VideoGame/Starcraft where have we seen this before?]]

* There's also the Colonel referring to the Na'vi as [[TheWarOnTerror "terrorists", and saying they'll use "shock and awe" tactics]].

* A copy of ''Literature/TheLorax'' appears in the extended version in the abandoned schoolhouse.

* The dire horses and thanators bear more than a passing resemblance to a couple of [[Literature/JohnCarterOfMars other multi-limbed alien creatures filling the roles of horses and great cats]].

* The original Avatar Project leader (before Grace and before its focus on the Na'vi) was [[Creator/HPLovecraft Dr. Cordell Lovecraft]], and the project was called "[[CthulhuMythos Dark Dreamer]]". (Fun fact: Lovecraft was awarded several Nobel Peace Prizes, only to be withdrawn by protests from several groups... one of them being the UN.)

* Corporal Wainfleet screaming "Get some!" while firing on the Na'vi, much like the door gunner in ''FullMetalJacket''.

* Corporal Wainfleet screaming "Get some!" while firing on the Na'vi, much like the door gunner in ''FullMetalJacket''.

* The battle suits utilized by the military seem like they might also be useful for fighting [[Franchise/TheMatrix evil robots]]

* The battle suits utilized by the military seem like they might also be useful for fighting [[Film/TheMatrix evil robots]]

* There are oodles of ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' Shout Outs. Let's just mention that Sigourney Weaver's first appearance on-screen is inside a capsule and leave it there, although to prevent one accidental similarity Cameron changed her chracter's surname to Augustine rather than the original Shipley, which he decided was too similar to Ripley. Believe it or not. Also, RDA company man Parker Selfridge is a bit more sympathetic than [[{{Alien}} Weyland-Yutani]] company man Carter Burke.

* There are oodles of ''{{Aliens}}'' Shout Outs. Let's just mention that Sigourney Weaver's first appearance on-screen is inside a capsule and leave it there, although to prevent one accidental similarity Cameron changed her chracter's surname to Augustine rather than the original Shipley, which he decided was too similar to Ripley. Believe it or not. Also, RDA company man Parker Selfridge is a bit more sympathetic than [[{{Alien}} Weyland-Yutani]] company man Carter Burke.

* The battle suits utilized by the military seem like they might also be useful for fighting [[''Film/TheMatrix'' evil robots]]

* There's also the Colonel referring to the Na'vi as [[TheWarOnTerror "terrorists", and saying they'll use "shock and awe" tactics]].

* The Marine colonel swigs from his coffee mug in the middle of a gunship attack, like Colonel Kilgore in ''ApocalypseNow''.

* There's also the Colonel referring to the Na'vi as [[TheWarOnTerror "terrorists", and saying they'll use "shock and awe" tactics]].