Cirque du Soleil to stage Avatar show

The blue-skinned Na’vi creatures featured in the 2009 movie Avatar are set to take to the Cirque du Soleil stage in a new live production being spearheaded by movie director James Cameron.

The arena show is billed to open in late 2015, before the first of three upcoming Avatar sequels hits the silver screen.

The Avatar show was announced on Thursday at a trade conference in Montreal, Canada.

President and Chief Executive of Cirque Daniel Lamarre said “our relationship with Jim Cameron began with my visit at his Avatar cutting room.”

Cirque and Lightstorm Entertainment - Cameron’s production company – will collaborate on the production that will, according to a statement by Cirque, be toured globally.

Avatar grossed more than $2.78 billion worldwide and won three Academy Awards. The sci-fi flick boasted groundbreaking visual effects, including motion-capture technology and digital 3-D photography.

In a pre-prepared statement, Cameron said that “over the years, I have discovered the extraordinary talents and imaginations of both the artistes and the creative forces behind Cirque du Soleil. ... I know we share the common goal of bringing audiences to another level of entertainment experiences. I look forward to doing just that on this project,” according to a statement carried by the Los Angeles Times.

The Avatar show will mark the first time that Cirque has created a show based on a film.