Avatar 3: Release date, cast, trailer and latest news for Fire and Ash

It's a good week to be an Avatar fan – and if the staggering box office results achieved by the first two films are anything to go by, those are not in short supply.

The third entry in James Cameron's epic sci-fi arrives in cinemas in just a matter of days, three years after the second film secured another mammoth hit for the world's most reliably successful commercial filmmaker, and we'd expect it to once again rake in huge amounts of cash.

That's despite some rather mixed reviews for the new film. Although our own 4-star verdict was very much on the positive side, some of the write-ups in other publications have been far less enthusiastic, with the film earning just one-star from The Telegraph and the BBC and two-stars each from The Times and The Guardian.

Still, if you were a fan of the previous film then you probably needn't worry too much: this latest trip to Pandora looks likely to give you more of the same, as well as some bonus treats. One of the exciting new additions comes in the shape of a new Na'vi clan known as the Ash People, who are led by Oona Chaplin's antagonist Varang, whom the star told Radio Times is a "magnificent beast of a lady."

Of course, Cameron has long been vocal about making as many as five Avatar films in total, but recently he has started to manage expectations as to just how likely that plan is to come to fruition. Indeed, he even told us that this film could end the franchise – so fans should really relish this trip to Pandora as much as they can, just in case this really is their final visit.

Ahead of the release, fans have been treated to a number of trailers hinting at another rich visual experience, while they've also been told to expect a personal film that taps into Cameron's own experiences with grief. Meanwhile, it's also been confirmed that the film will once again be an epic not just in scale but in length, with a runtime of more than three-hours revealed ahead of release.

Read on for everything you need to know about Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Avatar: Fire and Ash release date

Avatar: Fire and Ash will arrive in UK cinemas on Friday 19th December 2025 – so really not long to wait at all.

That's one year later than the initially announced date of 20th December 2024, and comes three years after the previous instalment, The Way of Water – a significantly shorter gap between films than the 13-year wait fans had to endure for the second entry.

At present, the as-yet-untitled fourth and fifth entries in the saga are scheduled to arrive in December 2029 and December 2031 respectively, although those could obviously be pushed back – or cancelled entirely – due to any number of factors.

Avatar 3 cast: Who stars in Fire and Ash?

The confirmed cast for Fire and Ash is:

• Sam Worthington as Jake Sully
• Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri
• Sigourney Weaver as Kiri
• Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch
• Edie Falco as General Frances Ardmore
• Britain Dalton as Lo'ak
• Trinity Jo-Li Bliss as Tuktirey
• Jack Champion as Miles "Spider" Socorro
• Bailey Bass as Tsireya
• Kate Winslet as Ronal
• Jemaine Clement as Dr Ian Garvin
• Michelle Yeoh as Dr Karina Mogue
• CCH Pounder as Mo’at
• Cliff Curtis as Tonowari
• Matt Gerald as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet
• Oona Chaplin as Varang
• Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge
• Joel David Moore as Dr Norm Spellman
• Dileep Rao as Dr Max Patel
• Brendan Cowell as Captain Mick Scoresby
• Filip Geljo as Ao'nung
• Duane Evans Jr as Rotxo
• David Thewlis as Peylak

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña reprised their roles from the original film for The Way of Water – and there's no surprise that they'll be back once again on this occasion.

Worthington previously told Variety of returning for The Way of Water: "We were doing something that had never been done before.

"But Jim and I get along because I’m fearless. If he asks me to, I’m going to dive in. I’m good at putting aside all the mechanics and just focusing on, 'What does the boss need me to do?'"

Meanwhile, the film also introduced a host of new characters, including Sigourney Weaver's Kiri. Fans were surprised to see the actress voicing a teenager, but she relished the role and will again be back this time around.

She told USA Today: "I was just sitting on the side (of the classroom) listening to the pitch of the voices: everything from a childlike voice to an adult voice."

Meanwhile, Kate Winslet will also be back in her role as Ronal, while younger stars Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion and Bailey Bass will once again be pivotal to events as the younger generation of Na'vi.

And there's plenty of new faces joining for the third instalment as well, with David Thewlis the biggest name to be making his maiden voyage to Pandora – but it's Game of Thrones star Oona Chaplin who as the most significant new role in the film as antagonist Varang.

Meanwhile, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh has been confirmed to be joining the cast for subsequent instalments, but Cameron has explained that she won't be involved until the fourth instalment – so don't expect to see her here. And with that film now in a little more doubt than it was previously, perhaps Yeoh will never actually become part of the Avatar universe – we'll just have to wait and see.

Avatar 3 plot: What will happen in Fire and Ash?

20th Century Studios understandably haven't released too many plot details for the film just yet, the studio has released an intriguing synopsis – and it certainly looks like the action is going to go up another notch for this entry.

"One year after settling in with the Metkayina Clan, Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief after Neteyam's death," the synopsis reads.

"Eventually, they encounter a new, aggressive Na'vi tribe called the Ash People, led by the fiery tribe leader, Varang, who has allied with Jake's enemy, Quaritch, as the conflict on Pandora escalates to devastating consequences."

Actor Jack Champion previously told The Hollywood Reporter of the upcoming film: "I was very shocked by it. It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing. You think you know where it’s going, but then a wrecking ball comes.

"So you’re completely like, 'Oh wow, I never thought that would’ve happened.' You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures. So I think it’s even better than Avatar 2. Collectively, they’ll each get better."

Meanwhile speaking at the 2024 D23 Expo, Cameron teased: "It’s an insane adventure and a feast for the eyes, but it’s also got very high emotional stakes, more than ever before. We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters you know and love."

Animators Richard Baneham and Joe Letteri previously opened up to RadioTimes.com about the movie.

"It's fair to say we are expanding the world and you will be exposed to different biomes and new tribes," Baneham explained.

"And that was the idea even behind this one," added Letteri. "A lot of people asked after the first one, where is Jim [Cameron] going to take it? But his idea – and he's talked about this – is that it's a big planet and there are a lot of stories to tell. And I think that's what's great about it is we have this license to explore."

Is there a trailer for Avatar 3?

Yes! The action-packed first trailer for the film arrived in July 2025 – five months ahead of releasee – and contains plenty of the visual splendour we've come to expect from Cameron. A second trailer then followed in September, which you can watch below.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set for release on Friday 19th December 2025.

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