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“Avatar: The Way of Water” ended tragically for the heroes, with Jake Sully and Neytiri’s son Neteyam killed. That death understandably sent Neytiri into a rage the likes of which we’d never seen from her before, and our first look at the character in “Avatar: Fire and Ash” shows that her anger hasn’t worn off. You can see the first look image, provided by Empire, below.

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“That pain is seamlessly followed up on,” Neytiri actress Zoe Saldaña told Empire. “And because it doesn’t really have anywhere to go, and doesn’t go away, rage can also come from it. [The Sullys] are going to be tested as a family. Not only would everything that’s happening compel her to question the bond she has with her husband, but also her bond with herself, her people, her land, and the way the Na’vi are. She’s going to question everything.”

As full of rage and dangerous as Neytiri becomes, Saldaña says she will “meet her match” in “Avatar: Fire and Ash”. Her match is Varang, leader of the Mangkwan Ash clan.

According to James Cameron, back in 2021, we should all be thanking whatever the Na’vi worship that we even have the chance to see “Avatar: Fire and Ash”. At the time, Cameron was saying that “Avatar: The Way of Water” would need to make $2 billion just to break even. He’s since walked back those comments a bit, even though the sequel succeeded in taking in $2.3 billion.

As tragic an ending as “Avatar: The Way of Water” gave us, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” may force even more tears out of us if James Cameron’s wife is any judge. In March, Cameron told Empire, “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 s–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.'”

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” releases in theaters Dec. 19, 2025.

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