Varang looking serious in Avatar Fire and Ash
By
Nick Bythrow
Published 40 minutes ago
Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts.
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James Cameron has revealed Disney CEO Bob Iger's review of Avatar: Fire and Ash, confirming what the studio's boss thinks of the sequel. The story of Avatar: Fire and Ash follows Jake Sully and his family as they come into conflict with the Mangkwan clan of Na'vi, who have allied with Quaritch. The movie comes to theaters December 19, 2025.
In a report from Puck, Cameron revealed Iger's thoughts on an early cut of Avatar: Fire and Ash that was 18 minutes longer than the theatrical version. The director confirmed Disney's CEO loved the sequel, calling it "magnificent." He even went as far as to shoot down criticisms from other studio heads while discussing the movie in a call together:
He’s interesting. He doesn’t weigh in until it’s something for me to show. His comment when he watched it for the first time, even though it was at 3 hours, 23 minutes, not including credits at that point, so it’s gotten about 18 minutes shorter since then. He said, 'Yeah, I know you’re going to keep chopping away at it, but it’s magnificent.' He basically said, 'I love this film.'
It was interesting because there were other heads on the Zoom call that were bringing up notes. And he said, 'Yeah ... I didn’t have a problem with that.' And he basically shot them down on their notes. And I was like, 'Okay, we’re done here.'
Iger's opinion is a good sign for Avatar: Fire and Ash, which will see the franchise take on challenges it's never featured before. This will be the first time a group of Na'vi have been the antagonists. It also promises to follow-up on Neteyam's death after the end of Avatar: The Way of Water and how Jake's family copes.
Jake Sully riding the Toruk during a battle in Avatar Fire and Ash
The version of the film Iger saw is also somewhat longer than the final cut of the movie that will arrive in theaters. Avatar: Fire and Ash's final cut is 195 minutes long, or 3 hours and 15 minutes, including credits. Given his confidence in the film, it's a good sign it'll be another compelling, creative entry in the franchise.
The cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash will expand with Oona Chaplin as Varang, the leader of the Mangkwan, and Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore, the RDA's replacement for Quaritch. David Thewlis also arrives as Peylak, leader of the Wind Traders. The movie is expected to greatly expand on Pandora and its core conflicts with these new leads.
While Iger's praise shows how much faith he and Disney have in the film, the movie still needs to succeed greatly at the box office to justify Cameron's planned Avatar 4 and Avatar 5. As of writing, the third installment is expected to make around $110 million in its domestic opening weekend, slightly below the second film's $134.1 million earnings.
Still, with Iger's full support behind the film, Avatar: Fire and Ash is shaping up to be a strong sequel that moves the story of Pandora in an important direction. Although it's unclear what will happen in the movie, the approval of Disney's CEO makes it seem like it could be the strongest installment of the franchise so far.
Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in theaters on December 19, 2025.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Like Follow Followed Science Fiction Adventure Fantasy Release Date December 19, 2025 Runtime 195 Minutes Director James Cameron
7 Images
Quaritch looks on in the trailer for Avatar Fire and Ash
Neytiri looks up at Jake in the trailer for Avatar Fire and Ash
Brendan Cowell manning a turret on a boat as Mick Scoresby in Avatar Fire and Ash
Zoe Saldana as Neytiri snarling with a bow in Avatar_ Fire and Ash trailer
Neytiri and Jake walking forward in the Avatar Fire and Ash trailer
Human vehicles in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Spider falling in Avatar: Fire and AshClose
Cast
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Sam Worthington
Jake Sully
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Zoe Saldana
Neytiri
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Sigourney Weaver
Kiri
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Stephen Lang
Colonel Miles Quaritch
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
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