Stars in town, movie buffs amped for Avatar 3 premiere in Wellington

Anticipation is building ahead of the third instalment of director James Cameron's alien epic, Avatar, with a crowd expected to attend Saturday's star-studded red carpet event.

The Wellington premiere of Avatar 3: Fire and Ash could draw thousands, according to the council, with A-list stars due to hit the red carpet at the Embassy Theatre from 5pm Saturday.

James Cameron and actors Cliff Curtis and Sam Worthington are expected to be among the 750 guests making their way from Allen Street to the theatre's doorstep.

Local director and film club leader Akash Saravanan says he can't wait to see the film.

Saravanan - who's watched every Avatar film in iMAX - says he's planning to do the same with the third, and is urging others to follow suit.

"For films like these, I would say the element of the spectacle is part of the enjoyment of watching."

As someone from India, Saravanan says he relates to the film through Zoe Saldaña's character, Neytiri.

"I resonate with what she represents in this person who's ... willing to adapt and co-exist with this other culture that's coming."

Saravanan says many of his peers worked in Wellington on Avatar and were able to take what they learned on the productions to the local independent scene when they returned.

He maintains that such large-scale shoots are a rising tide that lifts all boats.

"New developments happening in the film space, regardless of the film or the production, always [have] some sort of benefit."

Ahead of the Wellington premiere, Disney once again commissioned professional mural artist, 'Jonny4Higher,' to paint a couple of murals in the capital.

He says it was great to work with Avatar again, and appreciated one of the film's core messages about caring for the planet and environment.

It took he and fellow artist Liam Henderson three-and-a-half days to paint two large murals - one about two storeys high - featuring some of the film's main characters, on Dixon Street.

"The more productions that... draw more attention to Aotearoa being a great location for Hollywood productions to occur [the better]."

"[It] employs so many people across the creative spectrum."

Wellington City Council's chief economic and engagement officer, Anna Calver, says the premiere is great news for the city, and Courtenay Place is getting spruced up, with crews removing graffiti and giving street furniture a clean and lick of paint.

"This time, we've just given it a little bit of TLC, a bit more of a glow up than usual.

"I think it's going to be a much-needed boost, not just to the economy, but also to uplift our spirits in Wellington as well."

She says the public should expect road closures and rerouted buses on Saturday in anticipation of the thousands of people expected to flock to Courtenay Place.

"We've been working with the likes of the police, MetLink, a bunch of partners just to make sure that we're preparing for that number of people in the best way possible."

Even though the premiere will shut down three businesses neighbouring the Embassy, all say they've been compensated.

Zahi Assaf, owner of the family business Phoenician Falafel, says the event is ultimately a boost for local businesses.

"It brings a lot of people into town, it's bringing back the theatre life ... it's just a good event that we could have in Wellington."

While Avatar 3 will soak up a lot of attention this weekend, Anna Calver says it's not the only event in town.

"We've got an international test match just down the road, at the Basin Reserve, we've got our fantastic Christmas event happening in Waitangi Park, and also the opening of Te Papa's Breathe | Mauri Ora exhibition."