Avatar

Up until the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, James Cameron had been keeping much about Avatar under wraps. But when Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and Avatar stars Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang took to the stage in the front of 6,000 fans, Avatar was no longer a big mystery. Cameron brought 20+ minutes of footage to the Comic Con crowd, lifting the veil and showing off the film's mystical new world. Had the crowd not approved of what they were shown, taking that gamble could have been disastrous. But, fortunately for Cameron and 20th Century Fox, the response was overwhelmingly positive. And for those who didn't get a seat in Hall H, you can check out the Avatar footage free in select theaters in 3-D and IMAX formats on August 21st.