Avatar: The Way of Water - RDA Costume + Props

From 2016 – 2022 Wētā Workshop collaborated with James Cameron, Jon Landau, and their team on Avatar: The Way of Water.

For the Workshop, this was a welcome return to the world of Pandora, and it was a pleasure to design and manufacture costumes and props for both the Na'vi and human characters.

In working with Production Designer Ben Procter, Costume Designer Deborah L. Scott, and Props master Brad Elliott, we designed many costumes, props, and weapons for the RDA units.

As this sequel is set 15 years after the original, we wanted to show the advancements in the RDA’s technology while keeping the style true to the first film. They have evolved and militarised. With troops more specially equipped and with advancing technology, this time the RDA can easily acclimate to Pandora’s many challenges.

We designed military uniforms for land, air, and sea units, as well as for non-combatant roles like doctors, scientists, administration, construction, the tulkuners, and more!

The design team worked in close collaboration with Wētā Workshop’s textiles department, incorporating manufactured samples as they were fabricated, to ensure a believable and buildable design.

Art Directors: Stephen Crowe & Jeremy Hanna
Production Managers: Yalda Armian & Tasha Guillot
Design project coordinators: Elspeth Grant & Milli Griffin