TheGreatDave said:
Obviously, it's impossible to say for sure we won't be building statues of blue aliens in 30 years. But what I mean is I didn't see anything in the movie that stood out to me as being potentially iconic. The closest you've got is the general design of the N'avi. Character-wise, musically, art design, I just don't see anything that could compete with even the original Star Wars in pop culture. If GAF is still up in 30 years, maybe I'll owe you a Coke.
My opinion probably isn't valid, given that I'm someone who actually likes Star Wars quite a bit (though I won't even begin to try to elucidate the reasons), but I have to agree with you here.
Of course, why look 30 years ahead? I think one could effectively argue that, despite a smaller box office gross (inflation adjustment notwithstanding), Star Wars had already exerted a bigger cultural impact than Avatar has at the same point in its life cycle.
I mean, and I'm being at least half serious here, has Avatar spurred a feverish pursuit of toys and merchandise, to such an extent that people are paying for goods they won't actually receive for weeks or months? Did anyone turn the theme music into a cheesy disco song that actually cracked the top 20 charts? Are plot pieces already part of the cultural lexicon (May the Force be with you; Jedi mind tricks, etc.)?
If Avatar doesn't have the cultural impact right now that A New Hope had in the year following its release, what makes anyone think it will measure up in 30 years?