James Cameron flew 7000 miles to deliver four-word update on Avatar 3-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Avatar was first released in 1997 and is returning for a third instalment (Picture: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox)

James Cameron travelled 7,000 miles to Disney fan expo D23 to give the latest update on Avatar 3 – which was largely its name.

Which is four words long.

The Titanic filmmaker, responsible for the three highest-grossing movies of all time between the 1997 period-set disaster flick and the first two Avatar movies, has been developing a further three in the franchise.

He was joined onstage by stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña to tease a little more about the upcoming threequel, and unveil its official name – Avatar: Fire and Ash.

‘I came 7,000 miles from New Zealand for this and it was definitely worth it,’ the 69-year-old told the D23 audience in Anaheim, California, including Metro.co.uk.

‘It is so gratifying to feel that love for this world and these characters that my team’s been working on over 18 years, and I can’t wait to show you what we’ve been creating for Avatar 3,’ he continued, promising that the VFX shots he was working on in New Zealand were ‘amazing’ and ‘felt so real’.

James travelled from New Zealand for the Disney event in California (Picture: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Other details given by Cameron, who has already revealed that Avatar 3 will follow a new clan of Pandora’s native species with the introduction of the Ash People, ‘representing fire’, were kept vague.

However, he promised an ‘insane adventure’ with ‘very high emotional stakes’ for the characters.

‘We’re going into really challenging territory for all the characters that you know and love, and there are new characters – there’s one especially, we think you’re going to love, or maybe I should say love to hate!’

James has been vague about Avatar 3 details but promised an ‘insane adventure’ (Picture: AP)

He also promised that fans would get to see ‘a lot more of Pandora that you never saw before’.

‘Here’s what I can tell you – the new film is not what you expect, but it’s definitely what you want,’ he concluded.

Cameron claimed it was ‘too soon’ for footage of Avatar 3, which is due to be released in December 2025, meaning there was no official trailer or footage sneak-peak reveal.

Instead, he shared four pieces of concept art to ‘tease your imagination’, with the images revealing the Ash People of the Na’vi, with a leader in a red and black feathered head-dress, dancing around a fire in masks.

The first Avatar is one of the highest-grossing films of all time (Picture: AP)

Another revealed hot air ballon style contraptions in the sky, as well as what looked to be floating wooden vessels like ships along with Neytiri (Saldaña) riding a banshee, suggesting that one of the next element’s Avatar will explore after 2022’s The Way of Water is air, as well as fire.

Avatar: Fire and Ash, which was filmed back-to-back with The Way of Water, also features Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, Edie Falco, Bailey Bass, Jack Champion, Britain Dalton and Trinity Jo-Li Bliss.

It picks up the story right after the previous movie, which saw Jake Sully (Worthington) and his family fight back against the Resources Development Administration (RDA) after their return to Pandora, teaming up with the aquatic Metkayina clan, with whom they sought security.

Sadly, they lose eldest son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) in the ongoing conflict.

Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis are also joining the cast of Avatar: Fire and Ash in undisclosed parts, while Oona Chaplin joins as the leader of the Ash People, Varang.

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