James Cameron is returning to Pandora with the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer premiering this weekend ahead of the next epic chapter.
Get ready to return to the breathtaking world of Pandora—James Cameron is officially back with Avatar: Fire and Ash, and the first trailer for the highly anticipated third installment in the Avatar saga will premiere in theaters this weekend, attached to Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Unlike the 13-year wait between Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, the third chapter arrives just three years later, landing in theaters on December 19, 2025. But if you need a refresher on the state of the Avatar universe, here’s everything we know ahead of the trailer’s debut.
The story so far finds ex-Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and his Na’vi partner Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) raising their family on Pandora, having led the Na’vi to victory in the first film. In The Way of Water, they flee from a revived threat—Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), whose consciousness now lives in a Na’vi body—seeking refuge with the oceanic Metkayina clan. The film ends in tragedy with the death of their son Neteyam and sets the stage for the next battle.
Fire and Ash will introduce a new, hostile Na’vi tribe known as the Ash Clan, who reside in a volcanic region of Pandora. Their leader, Varang, played by Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones), is described by James Cameron as a fierce and morally ambiguous figure hardened by trauma. During CinemaCon, Disney unveiled a fiery airborne battle sequence featuring her forces, revealing new weapons, airships, and Cameron’s signature large-scale action—this time presented in his favored high-frame-rate format.
The story will continue well beyond Fire and Ash. James Cameron filmed parts of Avatar 4 concurrently with the second and third films, to accommodate the franchise’s younger cast ahead of a major time jump. That film is slated for release on December 21, 2029, with Avatar 5 following on December 19, 2031.
We’ll also be seeing Pandora from a new perspective in the future. According to the late producer Jon Landau, Avatar 5 will feature scenes set on Earth, exposing Neytiri to humanity in a more complex and nuanced light. “Not all humans are bad. Not all Na’vi are good,” Landau said, teasing a broader emotional scope for the saga.
As for new cast additions, Michelle Yeoh joins the franchise as scientist Dr. Karina Mogue, although she won’t appear until the fourth film.
With Fire and Ash poised to reveal an entirely new tribe, new landscapes, and an even deeper mythology, James Cameron’s vision for Pandora continues to expand—and it all starts this weekend when the trailer hits the big screen.
