In a recent interview, director James Cameron revealed that the plot at the center of Avatar: Fire and Ash may not be what audiences expect, or even want, which hints at a popular yet tragic theory about the upcoming film. Since 2009, the Avatar franchise has broken mᴀssive barriers in the entertainment industry. A sci-fi tale written and directed by Cameron, Avatar follows Jake Sully, a former Marine who joins a crew to explore Pandora, an intergalactic planet which is inhabited by free-spirited creatures known as Na’vi. Soon enough, Sully realizes that humanity may be doing more harm than good.

Ever since the release of Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, audiences have been eager for the next installment in the Avatar franchise. Set to premiere in December 2025, some of the only things known about Avatar: Fire and Ash are its name and its returning cast members. However, in an interview with Empire, Cameron explained that the third Avatar movie will include major risks that will have audiences potentially saying, “that’s not what I signed up for.” Many believe that this comment confirms a big Avatar theory: Jake Sully will die in Avatar 3.

Avatar: The Way Of Water Was Already Setting Up A Replacement For Jake Sully

Jake Sully’s Death Theory Explained

Cameron’s comments may seem innocuous to some, but others feel that they only confirm the inevitable. Aside from Cameron promising to make dangerous choices in Avatar 3, which could include character deaths, Avatar: The Way of Water already set the stage for Sully’s death by introducing his replacement. Way of Water showcases Sully’s children, each of whom has a particular strength or ability, and their 14-year-old son Lo’ak feels especially important. Once Sully is gone, Avatar could easily promote Lo’ak to the rank of protagonist by exploring his connection to Payakan and Pandora’s natural world.

As much as Sully’s future death can be proven by Avatar’s plot choices, the theory is also based on an inexplicable feeling of inevitability. If Avatar is supposed to last for five movies, and Way of Water already jumped forward in time by almost two decades, then it seems unlikely that Sully would be the protagonist for all five movies. By Avatar 5, he would be ancient. Furthermore, it would be the juiciest tragedy that Avatar could create to kill off its main character in some heroic sacrifice. Ultimately, it fits with his character and the franchise’s epic scope.

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire & Ash Comments Make Jake’s Death More Plausible

How Cameron Can Make Fire & Ash Even More Surprising

Now that Cameron has publicly acknowledged that Avatar: Fire and Ash’s story may upset people, it seems even more possible that Sully will die in the next movie. Admittedly, Cameron remains quite vague in his comments about Avatar 3, but there are few things as upsetting to viewers as major character deaths. It is also important to remember that Cameron wants to shock audiences without making them resent the movie. In this way, killing Sully will be painful for audiences, but won’t completely ruin the franchise. Sully has had his time in the sun.

Of course, there are other ways in which Cameron can shake up viewers’ expectations in Avatar: Fire and Ash. Other characters may achieve tragic endings, including Sully’s other children or even Neytiri. There could also be an unexpected betrayal that will hurt audiences just as much as it will hurt Avatar’s cast of characters. At the core of Avatar is the conflict between humans and the Na’vi, so Cameron’s comments could easily have something to do with that. Perhaps, the humans will finally prevail. Either way, viewers need to brace themselves for Avatar 3.

Replacing Jake Sully As Avatar’s Hero Makes Sense For Future Movies

Avatar Needs To Maintain Its Epic Scale To Stay Successful

As much as Sully’s death would be tragic for Avatar lovers, it would also be a beneficial move for the franchise. As previously mentioned, Sully simply cannot carry the entire five movies due to his age, and anyway, the film series has so many other great characters that could be just as wonderful to follow. In just two movies, Avatar has crafted a vast and exciting world, and rather than diminishing it by focusing on just one character, it would do well to expand even further with its most interesting characters.

In reality, the thing that makes Avatar so groundbreaking is its epic scale, and keeping this up will be vital to the franchise’s success. Avatar: The Way of Water successfully expanded Pandora with the introduction of the Metkayina, and Avatar: Fire and Ash will have to have the same effect. Therefore, it will be good for Avatar: Fire and Ash to secure another main character who can outlive Sully and see a new dawn for the world of Avatar.