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Early Reactions to ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Praise James Cameron’s Third Trip to Pandora

All eyes are on James Cameron as the world prepares to return to Pandora in the supposedly biggest and most emotional ‘Avatar’ yet.

By Alec Jones
Varang (Oona Chaplin) in 20th Century Studios' AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

20th Century Studios

The latest instalment of James Cameron’s groundbreaking Avatar franchise is almost here, and Avatar: Fire and Ash has been revealed to members of the film press — so we have our first idea of what to expect from the blockbuster to end all blockbusters.

The general consensus comes as no major surprise: the film is the “ultimate cinematic spectacle” that pushes “visuals and emotion to new heights.” Film critic Courtney Howard said on X, “3 films in, James Cameron still has the sauce, making the epic spectacular feel emotionally impactful,” Howard wrote. “A glorious saga. Bold, brilliant & awesome in every way, this is what movie theaters were built for.”

Sean Tajipour shared that sentiment, saying “I may not be the biggest Avatar superfan, but [Avatar: Fire and Ash] proves once again that James Cameron can and will always deliver the ultimate cinematic spectacle, pushing visuals and emotion to new heights and redefining what a true blockbuster feels like. It’s bold, immersive, unforgettable, and driven by sheer ambition.”

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff wrote “Three films in and I still can’t get over how magical the [Avatar] movies are. Wish I had more original phrasing, but this applies too well — [Avatar: Fire and Ash] truly feels like a ride. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was pulled back into the world of Pandora and swept up in the situation. And once that happens, there’s a noticeable increase in complexity in quite a few aspects of the production.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash picks up immediately after the events of 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water. The Sully family, exiled from their home in the forest by their enemies in the colonising army of the RDA and pursued to Pandora’s oceans, are still grieving the loss of their eldest son Neteyam when they encounter their most dangerous foe yet — the antagonistic Fire tribe, a clan of vengeful Na’avi led by Oona Chaplin’s Varang.

Cameron, an industry hallmark and annual pusher of cinematic boundaries, has been quite public about the fact that a lot rests on this entry to the series. Cameron has planned five films total, and the fourth is already in production, but Cameron admitted that if Fire and Ash doesn’t have the same returns as the first two films — the story may need to finish in a less expensive medium.

“I mean, there’s no reason not to,” the 71-year-old Cameron said in August about directing more Avatar sequels himself. “I’m healthy, I’m good to go. I’m not going to rule it out. I mean, I’ve got to make it in a vigorous way, to handle the kind of volume and energy of the work for another six or seven years. You know what I mean? I might not be able to do that… [but] if I can, I’ll just do it.”

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Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theatres on December 19, and James Cameron will attend the Australian premiere on December 15. Check out more first reactions below.

 

Rolling Stone