New Update From James Cameron on Avatar 3: Fire and Ash And its Running Time; Don’t Miss

James Cameron has shared new details about Avatar 3: Fire and Ash, revealing that the film will dive deeper into its characters and expand the world of Pandora.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 09, 2025 | 06:55 AM GMT | 19.7K

Avatar: The Way of Water (via YouTube)

James Cameron has confirmed that Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is set to premiere on December 19, 2025, will be longer than Avatar: The Way of Water, which had a runtime of three hours and 12 minutes.

Speaking to Empire magazine, Cameron stated that the decision to extend the third installment was due to an overflow of ideas. “In a nutshell, we had too many great ideas packed into act one of movie 2,” he said.

“The [film] was moving like a bullet train, and we weren’t drilling down enough on character. So I said, ‘Guys, we’ve got to split it.’” As a result, he added, “Movie 3 will actually be a little bit longer than movie 2.”

Amanda Silver, who co-wrote the script with Cameron and Rick Jaffa, stated that Fire and Ash is a separate film from The Way of Water because the story goes beyond just action and visual spectacle.

She told Empire that the film needed space to explore its characters more deeply. Cameron agreed, stating that the movie would further develop character journeys while introducing new elements to the Avatar universe.

During Disney’s D23 Expo in August 2024, James Cameron revealed the official title of the film and presented concept art. The images featured massive airships, Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldaña, riding a banshee, and the Ash People of the Na’vi gathered around a fire pit. He stated that the film would showcase parts of Pandora that had never been seen before.

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña will reprise their roles as Jake Sully and Neytiri. Other returning cast members include Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Britain Dalton, Jack Champion, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Bailey Bass, Joel David Moore, Edie Falco, and Dileep Rao. New additions include Oona Chaplin, who will play the leader of the Ash People, and David Thewlis.

Cameron has not shared specific plot details but previously told The Hollywood Reporter that the film was incredibly exciting and that viewers would love it. He also confirmed directing the fourth and fifth installments, stating that he was fully dedicated to the projects and would only stop if forced to.