“Avatar” director James Cameron and stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington announced the first official title for the third film in the “Avatar” series at the D23 Expo on Friday: “Avatar: Fire and Ashes.”
While Cameron didn’t preview any footage, he did show off some concept art from the film, including scenes showing Neytiri (Saldanha) dancing on fire and riding a banshee.
“You’re going to see a lot of Pandora you’ve never seen before,” Cameron said. “It’s a crazy adventure, it’s a feast for the eyes, but it’s also more emotionally charged than ever before,” Cameron said during the presentation. “We’re venturing into some really challenging territory for all of these characters that you know and love.”
Cameron shot Avatar: Fire and Ashes back-to-back with Avatar: Path of Fire in 2022. Avatar: Path of Fire depicts the war between humans and the Na’vi after the greedy Resource Development Authority (RDA) returns to the alien moon Pandora. At the end of Path of Fire, the family of Jake Sully (Worthington) and Neytiri (Saldanha) successfully repel an RDA attack on the coexisting aquatic Metkaina and whale-like Tul’kun peoples. However, their eldest son is killed in battle, leaving the RDA deeply rooted on Pandora.
“Fire and Ash” begins shortly after those events, with Jake and Neytiri encountering the “Ash People,” a clan of Na’vi who Cameron suggests are more drawn to violence and power than other clans.
“We’re introducing new characters, one in particular that I think you’re going to love or hate,” Cameron said.
Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) will play Valan, leader of the Ash Nation, with David Thewlis and Michelle Yeoh also joining the cast.
In addition to Worthington and Saldanha, returning cast members include Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Britten Dalton, Jack Champion, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco and Dileep Rao.
Both “The Way of Water” and “Fire and Ash” were written by Cameron, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver. Originally, they were meant to be one film, but during the screenwriting process, Cameron decided there was too much content and split the story into two parts.
Cameron produced all of the Avatar films with his longtime creative partner Jon Landau. Landau died of cancer in July at age 63. “His legacy lies not just in the films he produced, but in the personal example he left behind: indomitable, compassionate, inclusive, tireless, insightful and utterly unique,” Cameron said in a statement. “He produced great films not by affronting power, but by spreading warmth and the joy of filmmaking. He inspired all of us to be our best every day. I have lost a dear friend and my closest collaborator of 31 years. A part of me is torn apart.”
