Avatar: Fire and Ash

director James Cameron reveals that his wife had a strong reaction to an early screening. Following the success of Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Cameron’s epic sci-fi franchise is set to continue with three additional sequels, the first of which arrives this December. The Avatar: Fire and Ash story is expected to follow Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and the rest of the Sully family as their fight against invading human forces on Pandora continues, and the first two movies suggest there could be some emotional moments on the way.

In a recent interview with Empire, Cameron seemingly confirms this, revealing that his wife, Suzy Amis Cameron, “bawled for four hours” after she watched an early screening of Avatar: Fire and Ash in December. Her reaction was so strong that Cameron struggled to get any usable feedback from her. Though Cameron doesn’t say what exactly in the movie prompted such emotions, he trusts that the reaction could be a sign of what’s to come for audiences. Read his full comment below:

“My wife watched the whole thing from end to end — she had kept herself away from it and I wasn’t showing her bits and pieces as we went along. This was December 22nd. She bawled for four hours. She kept trying to get her sh*t back together so she could tell me specific reactions, and then she’d just tear up and start crying again. Finally, I’m like, ‘Honey, I’ve got to go to bed. Sorry, we’ll talk about it some other time.’ She’s a pretty good bellwether. She called the ball on тιтanic and Avatar and Avatar 2. So I trust her heart on it.”

What Cameron’s Tease Means For Avatar: Fire & Ash

Both Avatar Movies Have Had Strong Emotional Moments

One of the most devastating moments in the original Avatar is the destruction of Home Tree and all the Na’vi death that came with it. The sequel ups the ante when it comes to emotion, featuring not only a traumatic and elongated tulkun-hunting sequence, but the bloody death of Jake’s firstborn son, Neteyam (Jamie Flatters). Cameron’s latest comments suggest another big death could be on the way after the Avatar: The Way of Water ending, or perhaps something devastating involving Pandora and all its living creatures.

Last month, Cameron spoke to Stuff about other early reactions to Avatar: Fire and Ash, and he says that viewer feedback suggests that “it’s definitely the most emotional and maybe the best of the three so far.” In the same interview, he says that the performances from the Avatar 3 cast make the movie “pretty heart-wrenching in a good way.” This certainly supports the theory that a major character death is coming, but who could be next after Neteyam remains a major question mark.

Our Take On Cameron’s Avatar 3 Tease

Will Fire & Ash Be The Best Avatar Movie Yet?

Cameron recently revealed that Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s runtime is actually slightly longer than the three-hour and twelve-minute The Way of Water. This is in addition to previous teases that the film’s climax is a mᴀssive battle across air, land, and sea. From what’s been revealed so far, Avatar: Fire and Ash sounds like the biggest and most epic installment in the franchise, but one that doubles down on emotion and character arcs.

By combining spectacle with powerful character moments and emotion, Fire and Ash has the potential to be the best Avatar movie yet. With four years between the third and fourth movie, this would be a great way to make sure audience interest stays high during the long wait for the penultimate installment. Many questions remain about Avatar: Fire and Ash, but audiences should evidently expect an emotional ride.

Source: Empire