The “Avatar: Fire and Ash” trailer is finally here.
The third installment in James Cameron’s “Avatar” series returns to Pandora and introduces a new Na’vi tribe: the Mangkwan Clan, also known as the Ash People, led by the fierce Varang (Oona Chaplin).
While not much is known about the Mangkwan Clan and its leader, the trailer offers a first look at their ashen home, destroyed by a volcanic eruption. The footage positions Varang, who wears a red headdress and can manipulate fire, as an adversary to Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and her family. It’s a stark departure from 2022’s “The Way of Water,” which took viewers underwater into the world of the Metkayina Clan.
The trailer also shows a tense exchange between Varang and Kiri (Sigourney Weaver): “Your goddess has no dominion here,” the fiery leader, donning a red and black headdress, says.
“Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that,” Cameron told Empire in an interview published in January. “She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil.”
In addition to the Ash People, the trailer includes a look at the Wind Traders, a nomadic Na’vi clan that travels aboard airborne ships drawn by massive jellyfish-like creatures. It also teases that the film will see Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) being captured by humans.
Also returning to the ensemble are Kate Winslet (Ronal) and Jack Champion (Spider). In addition to Chaplin, David Thewlis joins the cast as Peylak, the chief of the Wind Traders.
The trailer was first unveiled at CinemaCon in April and was launched exclusively in theaters ahead of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which opened Thursday.
“Fire and Ash” comes three years after “Way of Water” and 16 years after the original film. The first two movies were nominated for best picture at the Oscars and “Way of Water” was the highest-grossing film of 2022. But Cameron has hinted that the third installment may be surprising to fans of its predecessors.
“One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic,” he told Empire. “We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm.”
“Fire and Ash” hits theaters Dec. 19. The fourth and fifth installments are expected Dec. 21, 2029, and Dec. 19, 2031, respectively.
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