Fire and Ash

James Cameron struck gold with 2009's Avatar and followed it up with another hugely successful film in 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water. Cameron is returning to Pandora once again in 2026 with Avatar: Fire and Ash. And if it's successful, Cameron is planning to make two more films to round out his five-movie saga (unless he gets hit by a bus).

Avatar: Fire and Ash was recently unveiled at Disney's D23 event, and we're rounding up everything to know about the film. This piece will touch on Fire and Ash's release date, cast, story, behind-the-camera talent, and more.

2009's Avatar is the No. 1 highest-grossing movie of all time, with $2.92 billion worldwide. Avatar: The Way of Water ranks No. 3 at $2.32 billion. Cameron's 1997 film Titanic is No. 4 all time ($2.26 billion), meaning Cameron directed three of the top four highest-grossing movies of all time. Naturally, expectations are high for Fire and Ash.

Fire and Ash will release without one of its biggest creative forces, as Oscar-winning series producer Jon Landau passed away in July 2024. Cameron remembered his friend in a heartwarming statement, saying Landau "inspired us all to be and to bring our best, every day."

"His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal example he set--indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful, and utterly unique."

Here's everything we know about Avatar: Fire and Ash.

What is Avatar: Fire and Ash about?

Cameron said in an interview that it took a while to find the right name for the film, but the team settled on Fire and Ash because it "resonated with what's in the film" as it relates to the story and tone.

"I don't think I could say too much about it until you actually see the film and you see what it means, but if you think of fire as hatred, anger, violence--that sort of thing--and ash is the aftermath. So what's the aftermath? Grief, loss, right? And then what does that cause in the future? More violence, more anger, more hatred. It's a vicious cycle. So that's the thinking."

Cameron went on to say that it's not correct to think of Fire and Ash as a "dark" film, though he acknowledged that it does indeed go to "darker places" than the first two films.

"But it's still obviously this open, glorious, grand adventure, which is what we aspire to do every time we set out," he said. "We're not afraid to go into the dark places of our characters, which I think is also good. I think that's also what people really feel they want when they get to know a character well, either through a series or whatever it is that they follow. They want to know more. They want to know more about them, find out what their limits are, so to speak. And we do that."

Fire and Ash takes viewers to a new biome on Pandora, with Game of Thrones actor Oona Chaplin portraying Varang, the leader of the Ash People.

The 2009 original Avatar focused on the Omaticaya group of Na'vi, who dwell in the forest, while Avatar: The Way of Water introduced viewers to the Metkayina, who live near and around the water. Both groups love Pandora and seek to protect it from humans.

Fire and Ash, however, introduces a group of Na'vi who are not always benevolent. "I want to show the Na'vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides," Cameron said in a 2023 interview.

Who's going to be in Avatar: Fire and Ash?

Fire and Ash brings back Sam Worthington (Jake Sully), Zoe Saldana (Neytiri), Sigourney Weaver (Kiri), Stephen Lang (Miles Quaritch), and Kate Winslet (Ronal), reprising their roles from the earlier movies. Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh was announced as a new member of the Avatar franchise some time ago, but she will not make her appearance as Dr. Karina Mogue until Avatar 4. As mentioned earlier, Oona Chaplin will play Varang, the leader of the Ash People, and presumably there will be additional new cast members to be announced later.

Is there a trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash?

There is no trailer yet for Avatar: Fire and Ash. As of November 2023, the film was in post-production. The Avatar series is known for its extensive (and impressive) use of CGI, so the film will no doubt take some time to come together before a trailer is ready. The first trailer for Avatar: The Way of Water, for context, was released in May 2022--six months before the movie was released in theaters.

Who's directing Avatar: Fire and Ash?

James Cameron returns to direct Avatar: Fire and Ash. Looking ahead, Cameron recently remarked that he plans to make Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 as well, so long as he doesn't get run over by a bus. Cameron previously discussed the possibility of passing the baton to a different director for the final two Avatar films, but he appears to have changed his mind.

When is Avatar: Fire and Ash coming out?

Avatar: Fire and Ash releases in theaters on December 19, 2025. Fans eager to consume more Avatar content can stream the first two Avatar films on Disney+ right now. There is also a video game from Ubisoft called Frontiers of Pandora that was released in December 2023.