Avatar 3, the third instalment in the popular film franchise, will be officially called Avatar: Fire and Ash, revealed filmmaker James Cameron in the presence of lead actors Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington at the D23 Expo in California on Saturday.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the sequel to 2022’s Avatar: Way of Water, will arrive in theatres on December 19, 2025, he said.
Cameron also presented concept art from the movie, including an image of Neytiri (Saldaña) dancing over flames and riding banshees. “You’ll see a lot more of Pandora that you never saw before,” he said at the expo, adding, “It’s an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it’s also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before. We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters you know and love.”
“Just announced at #D23, our title for the next Avatar film: Avatar: Fire and Ash. Get ready to journey back to Pandora, in theaters December 19, 2025,” the makers posted on the official X handle of the film alongside the announcement poster.
Avatar, the first film of the franchise, was released in 2009, followed by its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, which came out in 2022. Fire and Ash was filmed back-to-back with The Way of Water, which depicted the ongoing conflict between humanity and the Na’vi following the return of the ruthless Resources Development Administration (RDA) to Pandora.
In The Way of Water, Jake Sully (Worthington) and Neytiri (Saldaña) successfully defended the aquatic Metkayina clan and the whale-like Tulkuns against an RDA assault. However, the victory came at a steep cost, as their eldest son was killed and the RDA remained a formidable presence on Pandora.
Fire and Ash will continue the story after these events, and introduce the Ash People, a new Na’vi clan. Oona Chaplin of Game of Thrones fame will portray Varang, the leader of the Ash People. David Thewlis and Michelle Yeoh will also be joining the cast for the sequel.
Returning alongside Worthington and Saldaña are Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco and Dileep Rao.
Both Avatar and Avatar: Way of Water are among the top five highest-grossing movies of all time — Avatar tops the list with a lifetime collection of USD 2.9 billion, while Way of Water is in the third spot with earnings to the tune of USD 2.3 billion.
