James Cameron is back, and this time, he’s (finally) on schedule. The legendary filmmaker debuted the first trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash at CinemaCon, giving us a jaw-dropping preview of the third installment in his record-breaking sci-fi saga.
Unlike its predecessors, Fire and Ash hasn’t been plagued by endless delays, and Cameron made sure to remind everyone of that. “This sucker is coming at us like a freight train on Dec. 19,” he quipped in a pre-recorded video from New Zealand, where he’s putting the finishing touches on the film.
CinemaCon attendees were treated to the exclusive 3D trailer, which hasn’t been released to the public yet. The footage begins on Pandora, introducing two new Na’vi clans: the peaceful, nomadic Wind Traders, who travel the skies in stylized hot air balloons, and the fiery Ash People, former Na’vi who have forsaken their deity, Eywa.
The trailer teases epic battles, including a fiery aerial clash where a Na’vi is killed by a flaming arrow. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) are seen grappling with the aftermath of their son Neteyam’s death, as they continue their fight against the human-led Resources Development Administration (RDA) and the Ash People. “We cannot live with this hate,” Jake tells Neytiri, while the Water chief ominously declares, “We cannot defeat this enemy who comes from the stars.”
Saldaña took the stage to introduce the footage, describing the Wind Traders as a peaceful air-traveling clan and the Ash People as a fiery, vengeful group. In one chilling moment, the Ash clan leader tells Neytiri, “Your goddess has no place here.”
Cameron, who apologized for missing the event, promised Fire and Ash would push the Sully family to their limits. With Avatar and The Way of Water each grossing over $2 billion globally, Fire and Ash is poised to continue the franchise’s box office dominance.
The film hits theaters on Dec. 19, with Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 slated for 2029 and 2031, respectively. If Cameron’s track record is any indication, theaters better brace for another cinematic tidal wave.
