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What is the new Avatar film really worth?
After the monumental success of Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron is back this Wednesday, December 17th with Avatar 3: Fire and Ash. This third installment appears to be darker, more political and emotional, thus pushing the saga’s ambitions even further. Here’s our review of the film starring Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver.
By Violaine Schütz.
Published on 23 October 2025. Updated on 17 December 2025.
After Avatar: The Way of Water, James Cameron’s saga is back on the big screen
Released in December 2022, Avatar: The Way of Water confirmed the power of the franchise imagined by James Cameron (Terminator, Titanic). With over $2.32 billion earned at the global box office, the film stood out as both a commercial and technical triumph. The anticipation was therefore high for Avatar 3: Fire And Ash (2025), which hits theaters this Wednesday, December 17th.
As for the cast, Avatar: Fire And Ash once again brings together a stellar lineup. Sam Worthington (Clash of the Titans) reprises his role as Jake Sully, alongside Zoe Saldana (Emilia Perez) as Neytiri. Sigourney Weaver returns as Kiri, and Kate Winslet, already praised for her performance as Ronal in Avatar: The Way of Water, is back as well. Stephen Lang (Tombstone) also returns to the central and menacing role of Colonel Quaritch.
A feature led by Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver
All the cast bring emotional depth to this science fiction family drama directed by James Cameron. Avatar: Fire And Ash follows Jake Sully and Neytiri as they grapple with the grief after Neteyam’s death. They meet a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe as the conflict on Pandora intensifies.
Still seeking refuge with the aquatic Metkayina clan, Jake Sully and his family try to regain a sense of balance despite their mourning. But this illusion of peace soon evaporates and tension grows with the looming threat of a new conflict.
At the film’s press conference, held at the Bristol Hotel in Paris in December 2025, actress Zoe Saldana spoke about the sadness that runs through this new installment of Avatar: “These scenes of grief were incredibly hard to shoot, because in our personal lives we were each starting families, and we had to tear ourselves away from all that to go to work. And yet, artistic creation is usually the second-greatest source of happiness. It was tough to be in such a serious role. But I’m grateful I never felt alone, because Sam (Worthington) was there beside me. And James (Cameron) was there too, as a storyteller, a captain, but also as a father.”
Two new tribes emerge in Avatar: Fire and Ash
In Avatar: Fire And Ash, the Sully family faces harrowing trials as they confront not only the human invaders, but also new adversaries from Pandora itself. In this film, James Cameron introduces a formidable new Na’vi tribe, the Ash People led by Varang. This fascinating, yet unsettling character is portrayed by Spanish actress Oona Chaplin (Taboo, Black Mirror, Game of Thrones). Far removed from the usual values of the Na’vi, this violent community further disrupts Pandora’s already fragile balance.
The Wind Traders, nomads from the skies who travel aboard strange hot-air balloons, complete this previously unseen map of the world. Sworn enemies of the Ash People, they participate in one of the film’s most breathtaking sequences… A huge aerial battle choreographed with astonishing precision.
A groundbreaking, spectacular project
With a staggering budget estimated at nearly 400 million euros, Avatar 3 once again pushes the boundaries of cinema. Thanks to High Frame Rate (HFR) technology, the images gain in fluidity and realism regarding the scenery, textures, or facial expressions. By combining this innovation with performance capture – which records actors’ voices, movements, and emotions – James Cameron reconnects with what he had already achieved with the first film in 2009… Turning the cinematic experience into a true visual shock.
Behind this breathtaking spectacle, the film also delivers a highly political message. It tackles powerful themes, such as genocide, displacement, internal conflict, ecology, and colonization. The character of Spider, Colonel Quaritch’s human son, encompasses these tensions. Caught between two worlds, he represents a generation torn between multiple identities, faced with difficult choices and complex moral dilemmas.
A film about grief and ecology
During a press conference held at the Bristol Hotel in Paris in December 2025, Sigourney Weaver underlined the importance of the ecological message conveyed in the film: “There’s an emergency rising in our world. The ocean is really suffering, and we won’t be able to live without the ocean. I don’t think people realize that. It needs to be discussed by all the nations, which is happening. But our nation doesn’t seem to be participating.”
Actress Zoe Saldana also praised the film’s metaphysical depth and James Cameron’s courage, describing him as a filmmaker capable of including “scenes of a marriage falling apart, of a tense relationship (….).” She added: “You don’t really expect scenes like that in a blockbuster. There’s spectacle, action, and adventure, but I think the strength of this project lies in allowing those kinds of sequences to exist.”
While Avatar: Fire And Ash keeps its spectacular quality that made the saga successful, this new opus film takes on a darker, more dramatic tone. Ultimately, the new installment in the Avatar series – to be watched in 3D if possible – moves audiences thanks to both its core themes, including identity, family, grief, and duty to one’s community, and its impressive technical achievements. The question remains whether the filmmaker will be able to keep innovating while maintaining his passion in the upcoming installments of the franchise, slated for release in 2029 and 2031.
Avatar: Fire and Ash by James Cameron, coming out in theatres on December 17th, 2025.
