Avatar director James Cameron was joined by stars Zoe Saldaña and Sam Worthington at D23 to confirm (via SFFGazette.com) that the highly anticipated third instalment of the epic sci-fi franchise is titled Avatar: Fire and Ash.
No new footage was revealed at the event, but the filmmaker did promise that, "You'll see a lot more Pandora that you never saw before. It’s an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it’s also got very high emotional stakes. We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters you know and love."
"There are new cultures and settings and creatures, and new biomes," Cameron added. "You will see a lot more of Pandora, the planet, that you’ve never seen before. The new film is not what you expect, but it’s definitely what you want."
Avatar: Fire and Ash was shot back-to-back with 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water; while Cameron originally planned for them to be one movie, he soon realised that there was too much material and expanded the story across parts two and three (a fourth instalment is also in development).
In the threequel, Jake and Neytiri will encounter the "Ash People," a new clan of Na'vi. In one final tease, the prolific director added, "There are new characters, one especially I think you’re gonna love, or love to hate."
Cameron has devoted his career to the Avatar franchise for close to two decades now and, for fans of the ambitious sci-fi franchise, exploring more of Pandora is an exciting prospect. And for Disney, it likely means another massive box office hit next Christmas.
Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) plays the leader of the Ash People, Varang. David Thewlis and Michelle Yeoh are also joining the cast alongside returning stars Worthington, Saldaña, 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.
Cameron, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver wrote Avatar: Fire and Ash and it was confirmed at D23 that the movie remains on track to be released on December 19, 2025.
You can take a closer look at Avatar: Fire and Ash's title card, and some new concept art straight from the event, in the X posts below.