Avatar: Fire and Ash is going to address something that creator James Cameron has said Hollywood always gets wrong, explaining how it will be remedied. The story of Avatar: Fire and Ash will introduce new circumstances for the Sully family, who will come into contact with the Ash Clan, a new group of fearsome Na’vi living in a volcanic land. The movie will also follow the events of The Way of Water, which saw the family decide to live with the Metkayina after losing their son, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) fighting the RDA.
Speaking with Empire Magazine, Cameron explained that Avatar: Fire and Ash will continue to focus on the Sully family’s grief after losing Neteyam in The Way of Water. He revealed the loss wouldn’t go away in the movie, but it also wouldn’t result in the family being vengeful and deciding to “gun up and kill” the humans. A more nuanced approach is being taken, with the family simply living after the events of what transpired. Check out what Cameron had to say below:
The exact quote, which is in the voiceover, is, “The fire of hate gives way to the ash of grief.” I think what commercial Hollywood doesn’t do well is deal with grief the way human beings really deal with it. You know, characters get killed off, and then in the next movie everybody’s happy again. I’ve lost a lot of people, friends and family members, over the last six or eight years, and it doesn’t work that way. It also doesn’t make you so mad that you’re going to become an army of one and gun up and kill all those m***********s, which is another Hollywood trope. It makes you just kind of depressed and f****d up. I’m not saying our movie’s depressed and f****d up, I’m just saying that I think we deal with that part of life quite honestly. The [Sullys] journey continues in a very naturalistic, novelistic way. I’ve sort of thought of this next cycle, meaning 3, 4 and 5, as how they continue to process the things that happen to them. Now, of course, they’re not human, but this is a movie for us, by us, right? Science-fiction is always just a big mirror of the human condition.
What Cameron’s Explanation Means For The Sully Family In Avatar 3
Fire & Ash Will Have A Human Approach To Its Characters
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Avatar: The Way of Water ended with Jake (Sam Worthington) reliving his memories of when Neteyam was young, showcasing just how much he misses his son. While the final moments of the movie indicated he’ll be fighting against humanity to protect his family and their new home, Cameron’s statement indicates he won’t be going out of his way to combat the RDA for revenge. Instead, the presentation will be more nuanced, likely introducing the idea of humans and Na’vi having shades of gray to their morality, as the Ash Clan is expected to reveal.
Related James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire & Ash Promise Makes Those Jake Sully Death Theories Even More Likely James Cameron recently confirmed that the events of Avatar: Fire and Ash may not be what audiences want or expect, hinting at 1 tragic theory.
Based on the franchise creator’s statement, it seems likely the third film will focus on the destructive nature of revenge, specifically because of the quote he uses about the movie. While the cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash have plenty of challenges coming their way, one of the biggest will seemingly be trying not to let Neteyam’s death cloud their decision on what to do next. This won’t be easy, however, both because of the events of the previous film, and because of how the Ash Clan’s introduction may shake up the story moving forward.
Our Take On Cameron’s Approach To Avatar: Fire & Ash
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By approaching grief in a more realistic way, Cameron is hoping to avoid the stereotypes of other Hollywood movies, offering a more unique lens to how the Sullys survive after Neteyam’s death. While Avatar: Fire and Ash is bound to continue conflict with humans and Na’vi, this multilayered approach can help the movie address its storyline in a fitting way. With three movies in total left for the upcoming saga, the next chapter could include themes that are continued beyond into the fourth and fifth films.
Upcoming Avatar Movies Release Date Avatar: Fire and Ash 12-19-2025 Avatar 4 12-21-2029 Avatar 5 12-19-2031
Source: Empire Magazine