James Cameron's ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash': First Reactions

MSN ^ | 12-2 | Story by Abid Rahman

[dennisw]

Avatar: Fire and Ash has had its first few screenings for press on Monday, and the early reaction suggests James Cameron can celebrate yet another billion dollar box office mega hit.

While official critics reviews for Fire and Ash are embargoed till closer to the film's Dec. 19 release date, 20th Century Studios allowed press to release social media reaction to screenings this week.

The third installment in Cameron's groundbreaking Avatar series, sees the action return to Pandora after the events of 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water, and introduces the "Ash" people, fire-themed Na'vi clan. Fire and Ash stars Avatar regulars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder and Giovanni Ribisi. The Way of Water‘s Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis reprise their roles.

The major new additions to the cast are Oona Chaplin, who plays Varang, the Na'vi leader of the volcano-dwelling Mangkwan clan and David Thewlis, who plays Peylak, the Na'vi leader of the Wind Traders.

Given the Cameron's pedigree, and Avatar‘s unique place in pop culture, Fire and Ash‘s box office prospects look good, but the film will still need to perform heroics to keep up with the hauls of the first two chapters. 2009's Avatar, the film that ushered in the 3D film craze, made over $2.9 billion at the global box office, not adjusted for inflation. The film still holds the title of the highest grossing movie in history. 2022's The Way of Water scored an incredible $2.34 billion worldwide, a figure all the more remarkable as the theatrical industry was still reeling from a post-COVID slump.

The third film is set to be followed by Avatar 4 in 2029 and Avatar 5 in 2031.

See a selection of social media reaction to Avatar: Fire and Ash below.

[Jamestown1630]

Well, that’s pretty much the way it’s worked out in real life, ever since the Garden :-)

[Valpal1]

ermahgerd, that’s a rabbit hole I spent way to much time watching.

[Noumenon]

I sure don’t. Woke smurf people.

[thepoodlebites]

I like watching these digitally enhanced movies to see if they got the physics right. The physics of light in water is very difficult to animate. Avatar I was the first film to get it right. Watching the movie on the big screen was quite an experience.
The premise that the Earth was destroyed by the greedy humans (climate change, pollution) was highly speculative, not supported by empirical evidence. I just ignored the silly stuff, good plot otherwise.
I saw Avatar II on TV and thought it was a reasonable follow up. The underwater scenes were visually stunning and the plot was solid.
I gotta see Avatar III on the big screen. That’s the way to watch it. Dune 3 is coming out in 2026. It will be interesting how they handle “Dune Messiah” and “Children of Dune.”
I think the best movies of 2025 were Brad Pitt in “F1” and Tom Cruise in “Dead Reckoning, part II.” I saw “Weapons” but it wasn’t scary, just weird. I kept saying “that’s not scary.”

[for-q-clinton]

I didn’t like the first, never watched the 2nd.

[Sicon]

[Sicon]

“Aliens” (1986). Cameron had nothing to do with the original 1979 masterpiece, “Alien”.

[Sicon]

“The "One ring to rule them all" goes to the wife.”

And really, it doesn’t matter which ring she’s got, she’s still going to rule them all.

[MikelTackNailer]

LOL! I see the dictionary says “honeydew” is a melon when I know to most husbands it’s a wonderful Saturday getting hijacked.

Back on subject - “Avatar” was trying to do too much even going on three hours and that combined with the non-stop visual blast created more stress than enjoyment.

But watching the second installment justified the first one, better focusing on the family’s challenges in a linear story line written with more care and focus.

Hopefully Cameron will wrap it up after this third one rather than spend the remainder of his lifetime devoted to one project.

[atc23]

Yes u want to see a good movie ? “Train Dreams”

[Islander7]

I just finished watching Avatar for the third time. For me, it is “Dances With Wolves” in outer space.

[rlmorel]

LOL, I remember I thought “Dances With Wolves” was great entertainment when I was younger, but I have come to view it through a different prism.

I am listening to an audiobook “Comanches: The History of a People” and it is a remarkable book. (It is 24 hours long, so it better be!)

I was worried, was this book going to be one of “those” kinds of books? The “Evil White Ethnic Cleansers” kind of characterization. But the wonderful thing is, that so far, it is not.

It is fairly even-handed, and mentions quite often the predations and practices of Indians against other Indians, how they eradicated other tribes, drove other tribes out of their homes, murdered (with joy) raped, imprisoned, and enslaved other tribes.

It is interesting-the author spends a great deal of time explaining how misunderstandings between Indians and European were endemic, not only because we most certainly did not understand the Indian cultures and structures at all, but...they also did not understand ours...at all.