Las Vegas (AFP) – Evil Na’vi. Giant volcanoes. Airborne boats. The first-ever footage from “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the sequel to two of the highest grossing movies of all time, was debuted at the CinemaCon event Thursday. Out this December, the film “expands the beautiful world of Pandora and introduces two new clans,” explained star Zoe Saldana, from the stage of the Las Vegas convention of movie theater owners.
Director James Cameron, speaking in a pre-recorded clip from New Zealand, where he is finishing the film, said the movie’s heroes must “face not only the human invaders, but new adversaries, the Ash People.” The stakes for “Avatar: Fire and Ash” could hardly be higher for the movie industry. More respected than loved by critics, the previous two “Avatar” films were unprecedented commercial hits. They are the top and the third-highest grossing films of all time, collectively earning well over $5 billion globally.
But across the industry as a whole, box office takings have never recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and 2025 is off to an unexpectedly weak start due to flops like “Disney’s Snow White.” Cameron said he hoped “this film can provide a shot in the arm for theater owners, as we’re still struggling after the one-two punch of the pandemic and streaming.”
Footage from the third “Avatar” film shows heroes Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Saldana) aboard giant, balloon-hoisted wooden ships, being towed through the air by huge blue stingray-like creatures. The convoy comes under attack from the Ash People — who look like Na’vi but sport bright-red head-dresses, and shoot flaming arrows.
“The Wind Traders are a peaceful, nomadic, air traveling clan. And the Ash People are former Na’vi who have forsaken Eywa,” the blue-skinned humanoid tribe’s goddess, explained Saldana. Cameron has previously said the new film will be longer than “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which ran for three hours and 12 minutes. Two more “Avatar” films are dated for 2029 and 2031.
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