Sigourney Weaver reveals hopes for "smart people" looking after theatrical in Warner Bros deal – as Avatar co-star warns of "stupidity" and "greed" of man

There aren't too many actors working today who have been involved in as many iconic big screen moments as Sigourney Weaver.

For her role as Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise alone, the star has gifted the world of cinema with countless moments of movie magic, while she's also had memorable roles in a range of other films, from Gorillas in the Mist to Ghostbusters to Galaxy Quest.

Of course, in more recent years, she's been starring in James Cameron's epic Avatar series, a franchise that relies on the big screen perhaps more than any in other in Hollywood history. But the third entry, Fire and Ash, arrives at a time when the cinematic experience is perhaps under greater threat than ever before.

While this film itself is predicted to cause another storm at the global box office – after the previous two each bagged more than $2 billion – a number of factors, including the ongoing takeover deal between Warner Bros and Netflix, have caused many cinephiles to fear for the future of theatrical, and not without reason.

But Weaver herself seems optimistic, telling RadioTimes.com ahead of the new film's release that she remains "completely hopeful" about what lies ahead.

"The storytellers in all of our societies have been, I think, some of the most important people," she explained during an exclusive interview. "The person who can steady people by singing a song or telling a story when you're in a bomb shelter or whatever is the person you do value.

"So I feel like these stories coming out at this time when the business is experiencing some real challenges, and people have kind of gotten out of the habit of going into the theatre, I hope we revive that love," she continued.

"Because I think, for one thing, it's very different seeing and experiencing a story with a big group of people. It's kind of more nourishing, in a way. And so I don't worry about it. I hope the smart people in our industry can figure this out."

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Meanwhile, Weaver's co-star Stephen Lang – who has played villain Quaritch in all three of the Avatar movies so far – had some slightly stronger words for the forces that are currently threatening the future of theatrical. But he, too, was keen to look on the positive side.

"I'm concerned about it," he admitted. "This is not only my livelihood, it's my love, the cinema. It's durable, but it's not unbreakable, and we always have to deal with the stupidity of man and the greed of man.

"So you know, dire things are possible, and dire things will come about. And yet it will survive, because there's nothing... there's no medium that tells stories in the same way as cinema does, and stories are what bind us all together."

Fire and Ash – which we awarded 4-stars in our review – clocks in at over three hours, and Weaver was unsurprisingly keen to point out that viewers waiting for it to arrive on streaming would be missing out on most of the fun.

"You can't watch this movie at home," she said. "I mean, you can watch it for the 15th time at home, I suppose. But to be on the edge of your seat... I almost feel like you need a seatbelt to watch this film, because, you're back in it right from the word go and you're tumbling through the air and into the sea and all through the floating mountains.
"It's one of the most incredible, exhilarating, physical experiences!”

Avatar: Fire and Ash will debut in cinemas on Friday 19th December 2025 in the UK.

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