AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH Could Close the Saga as James Cameron Says He’s Ready to Step Away
The Avatar franchise has been a long term vision for James Cameron, and after working on it for a ridiculous amount of years, the filmmaker is now openly acknowledging something many fans never expected.
With Avatar: Fire and Ash hitting theaters next month, Cameron is hinting that this chapter could be the end of the road for franchise.
20th Century Studios will release Avatar: Fire and Ash in the United States on December 19, 2026. Returning once again are Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña as Jake Sully and Neytiri, continuing the story that began with Avatar and expanded in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Even with Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 already on the books, Cameron’s recent comments suggest that nothing beyond Fire and Ash is guaranteed. During a conversation on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, he made it clear he is thinking seriously about whether this is his finish line.
Speaking about the upcoming film, Cameron said, “I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money. The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?”
He didn’t soften the idea of stepping away either, adding that he is “absolutely” ready to move on if the box office isn’t strong enough.
He reflected on how long he has lived inside this universe, saying, “I’ve been in Avatar land for 20 years. Actually, 30 years, because I wrote it in 95. But I wasn’t working continuously on it for those first ten years.
“There was a brief flurry of interest in ’95, and then everybody said you’re out of your mind, and I shelved it for 10 years. Then, we got serious in 2005. Yeah, absolutely, sure. If this is where it ends, cool.”
Cameron explained that if Fire and Ash ends up closing the franchise, one story element will remain unresolved. He didn’t go into detail but admitted he already has an alternative way to finish the lore outside of filmmaking, stating he’ll “write a book” if needed to bring closure to the world of Pandora.
This doesn’t mean someone else would jump in to take over the director’s chair. When asked directly if he’d hand the saga to another filmmaker, Cameron replied first with “absolutely not” before clarifying his stance.
“I have choices there. There are levels in which I immerse. I could produce it. I don’t think there’d ever be a version where there’s another Avatar movie that I didn’t produce closely. But, in terms of it taking over my life, that’s a threshold issue for me.”
So while he might stay in a guiding role, another director fully taking charge seems unlikely.
If Fire and Ash performs well, the franchise may move forward. If not, Cameron appears at peace with closing this three film arc in theaters and finishing the rest of the story in another format.
For now, the focus is on the next chapter, and whether it’s the midpoint or the finale, it will shape the future of one of modern cinema’s biggest sci-fi worlds.