A list of references to Avatar in media outside the franchise, as part of its cultural impact.
Live-action shows[]
Bones[]
- In an episode of "Bones", Joel David Moore's character Dr. Fisher invites his colleagues to camp out overnight to see the movie "Avatar". Moore had a significant role in the actual Avatar film as Norm Spellman.
Close Enough[]
- A scene from an episode of Close Enough parodies the film in a dream sequence.
Glee[]
- In "Duets", Sam claims to have seen the film six times.
Last Man Standing[]
- Kristen mentions she went into labor with Boyd while seeing this movie.
Moon Knight[]
- "Avatar" was mentioned by Steven Grant in the first episode.
Parks and Recreation[]
- "Avatar" is mentioned in Season 2, Episode 19: "Park Safety" when Carl asks Leslie if she had ever seen it, stating that he "wanted to read the book first, but then [he] realized there's no book version of Avatar." Later in the episode, he and Leslie briefly debate whether Avatar lived up to or exceeded the hype.
The Rookie[]
- In Season 5, Episode 9 "Take Back", A Na'vi cosplayer gets locked outside of his car while trying to see The Way of Water.
This Is Us[]
- In "Family Meeting", Randall frets that his brother Kevin might fail to live up to his commitment to visit his ill mother because he has to go to New Zealand to star in Avatar 7.
WeCrashed[]
Anne Hathaway as Rebekah Neumann dressed as Neytiri
- Anne Hathaway appears as former chief brand and impact officer of WeWork Rebekah Neumann, who is dressed as Neytiri for a Halloween party, in the fourth episode of the series. This is reportedly based on a true story.
Animated shows/segments[]
American Dad[]
- Hailey is seen as a Na'vi in American Dad.
The Cleveland Show[]
- In "Hot Cocoa Bang Bang" Cleveland Jr. dresses at one point as a Na'vi and rides Walt who is dressed like a Mountain Banshee.
Family Guy[]
- In "Grumpy Old Man", the Griffins and the Pewterschmidts are shown a theater at the Oceanside Retirement Community where the film can be stopped by pressing a button on the seat so the patrons can ask questions. While watching Avatar, one of the residents stops the film to ask why Jake Sully is blue and asks if it because he's cold. Another mispronounces Sigourney Weaver's name but notes that her character is smoking but is still a handsome woman. Peter also stops the film to ask if unobtanium is difficult to obtain.
- On Jess' bucket list in "Married...With Cancer" is a wish to have a sex threesome with a tree like in Avatar.
Johnny Test[]
- In 2011, an episode called "Cat Scratch Johnny" parodies the film.
Larva[]
- This children's show had a parody segment about 3 minutes long.
MAD TV[]
- The first sketch from "Avaturd / CSiCarly" is a parody of the film with a 3 minute animated segment.
- The first sketch from "So You Think You Can Train Your Dragon How to Dance / Yo Gagga Gagga!", Jake and his banshee compete in a dragon dance contest.
- In a sketch from "This Means War Machine / iCharlie", a bloated, purple Violet Beauregard is called a "giant Avatar poop".
Masha and the Bear[]
- This children's show had a small parody segment, albeit under a minute long.
Rick and Morty[]
- In one episode, Rick mentions he wants a 90 minute version of Avatar.
Robot Chicken[]
- A sketch from "Big Trouble in Little Clerks 2" is a parody to the set song of the film in which the main characters use for sexual things.
- The sketch "Smurfatar" features Gargamel becoming a Smurf to infiltrate the Smurf Village, resembling the events of the film.
Solar Opposites[]
- In season 5, episode 7 (The Solar Opposites Do An Intervention), Pupa is drawing Na'vi.
The Simpsons[]
- A couch gag of Season 22 parodies the film but with couches instead of Banshees.
- The third segment of "Treehouse of Horror XXII", In the Na'vi, parodies the events of the film but with the Rigellians.
- In "Murder, She Boat", a group of people playing volleyball are seen dressed as Na'vi and characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
- In "Mom's I'd Like to Forget" Comic Book Guy mentions the Na'vi language.
- In "The Blue and the Gray" Homer imagines several blue female characters, including Neytiri.
- In "Days of Future Future" a display shows a green skinned alien resembling a Na'vi.[1]
South Park[]
- The episode "Dances with Smurfs" parodies the events of the movie, compares the plot of the movie to that of the 1990 film Dances with Wolves and compares the Na'vi to the Smurfs.
Variety Shows[]
Saturday Night Live[]
- January 16, 2010 — In the first 'Avatar' sketch , Jake Sully (Bill Hader) has simulated avatar sex with Neytiri (Nasim Pedrad) but comes to regret it. Sigourney Weaver appears as Dr. Grace Augustine.
- October 1, 2017 — The 'Papyrus' sketch follows the character Steven Wingdings (Ryan Gosling) as he battles with an obsession over Avatar's use of the Microsoft Windows and macOS typeface Papyrus for its official logo.
- January 21, 2023 — The second 'Avatar' sketch follows Jake Sully and the Omatikaya as they attempt to uncover human spies disguised as avatars.
- April 14, 2024 — In the 'Papyrus 2' sketch, Ryan Gosling reprises his role as Steven Wingdings, who has attended therapy for his obsession but later has it triggered once again by the ending of The Way of Water, which Steven claims uses a logo that is just "Papyrus but bold."
Films[]
Instant Family[]
- In this 2018 film, Pete mentions the movie while trying to explain the "white saviour" concept to Karen.
Just Go with It[]
- This 2011 Adam Sandler movie briefly mentions it.
The Starving Games[]
- The 2013 film has a parody segment in which Kantmiss Evershot is stung by wasps and hallucinates that she is a Na'vi. She meets a Na'vi man and has an encounter with "soulkeepers", the parody's equivalent to woodsprites. Kantmiss proceeds to kill all of the soulkeepers with various methods. She and the Na'vi man then perform tsaheylu.
This Ain't Avatar XXX[]
The Avatar porn movie
- This Ain't Avatar XXX is a porn movie parodying Avatar, released in late 2010 and also shot in 3D.