Avatar: Fire and Ash director James Cameron shares how this film about loss helped him process his “true grief”

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James Cameron thinks big – on a scale usually associated with major historical events. He explains that his recent “Avatar” sequel, “Fire and Ash,” doesn’t need to appeal to everyone to be considered a success. In fact, he estimates that reaching just 3 percent of the world’s population would be enough.

That’s roughly 240 million people – more than three times the population of the UK. If each person bought a $10 ticket, the film could potentially earn $2.4 billion, putting it among the top three highest-grossing movies ever. He jokes, “It’s a crazy business model. We’ve essentially made a film that has to be a top ten hit to succeed – which is ridiculous!”

It would seem impossible for most filmmakers, but not James Cameron. He’s the director behind the hugely successful 1997 film Titanic, which went so far over budget that it almost derailed his career.

But then came Avatar in 2009, and it completely changed things. Before that, it seemed strange – a visually stunning, 3D science fiction film, mostly created using computer technology, centered around a faraway planet inhabited by blue aliens called the Na’vi. It quickly became the highest-grossing movie ever, surpassing Titanic.

Even for a director known for ambitious projects, James Cameron acknowledges he took a significant risk with his two Avatar sequels, which were filmed consecutively in New Zealand. He explains it was a gamble, as the success of the first sequel was needed to fund the completion of the third. When ‘The Way of Water’ was released in 2022, many questioned if audiences were still interested in Avatar. However, it earned $2.3 billion, making it one of the top three highest-grossing films ever – more than enough to greenlight the third movie, ‘Fire and Ash’.

Avatar became a global success largely due to its stunning visual effects. The detailed and vibrant CGI world of Pandora, home to the Na’vi people, was so immersive that some viewers reportedly felt depressed after seeing the film, finding everyday reality disappointing in comparison. Director James Cameron has noted that despite their fantastical appearance – being tall, blue, and having cat-like features – the Na’vi are remarkably expressive. This was made possible by innovative performance capture technology, which even allowed veteran actress Sigourney Weaver to convincingly portray a teenage alien character.

Speaking with RT from New Zealand, director James Cameron, with his distinct Canadian accent, believes the success of Avatar stems from its focus on family. Cameron, who has been married five times—most recently to Suzy Amis in 2000—is a father of five children.

Interestingly, Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) has the same number of children as the actor’s on-screen family. Jake, a marine who became paralyzed and then transferred his mind into a Na’vi body – an Avatar – after falling for the Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), is now focused on keeping his family safe.

Cameron explains that these movies are expected to be huge box office successes. He wanted to connect with the widest possible audience, so he focused on universal themes. ‘I thought, what resonates with everyone?’ he says. ‘Everyone has parents and is part of a family.’ The story will center on family, but unlike typical family films, it won’t shy away from difficult and emotional experiences. It will explore a family facing major challenges, conflict, and hardship.

So, be warned – a major character dies in The Way of Water: Jake and Neytiri’s eldest son, Neteyam, is killed in a fight against the human invaders.

Cameron points out that movies often use grief to drive characters to fight villains, but rarely show the lasting emotional impact that loss has in real life. He notes this is particularly true in ‘Fire and Ash,’ where characters are still deeply affected by their losses.

Cameron has been deeply affected by grief. Last year, he lost his longtime friend and producing partner, Jon Landau, who had worked on all the Avatar films, during the making of Fire and Ash. RT last spoke with Landau in 2022 about the most recent Avatar movie.

Cameron reflects that making this film about loss has unexpectedly helped him deal with his own grief. He used to be known as a demanding perfectionist, especially during the making of Titanic, but he’s become more thoughtful. Over the past decade, he’s experienced significant personal losses – friends, his brother, and his parents – which have taught him that loss and mortality are unavoidable parts of life. He admits it’s never easy, and the pain doesn’t simply disappear.

It really hit me hard when Neteyam died, but like Cameron, the Sully family had to keep going. Just weeks after losing him, they faced a new threat – a fierce Na’vi tribe called the Ash, led by a really determined warrior. They’re totally different from the Metkayina clan Jake and his family joined – the Ash live near volcanoes and are much more aggressive, while the Metkayina are all about the ocean. It’s like these two tribes are complete opposites, and it puts Jake’s family right in the middle of it all.

Cameron also wanted to examine whether humans had negatively impacted the Na’vi way of life. This raises a difficult question, with serious implications for Neytiri, who, as Cameron puts it, essentially experiences racism. He hopes this will make viewers think critically.

Fire and Ash is the third film in a planned five-movie series. However, director James Cameron has structured the series so the first three films also work as a self-contained story. He explains that even if the series stops after this film, it will still have a complete and satisfying conclusion, without leaving viewers on a cliffhanger.

According to Cameron, if Avatar 4 and 5 are made, they’ll jump forward six years in the story. A key plot point would involve Neytiri traveling to a troubled, futuristic Earth. The scripts are already written and some of Avatar 4 has been filmed, but whether these films actually happen depends on how well the upcoming movie, ‘Fire and Ash’, performs at the box office.

Cameron says he’s interested in making more films, but he’s feeling less optimistic than usual. He worries that the movie industry has changed too much. He explains that people now only go to theaters for a few specific films they see as special events, and that the industry is currently struggling after the pandemic and the rise of streaming, with no clear signs of recovery.

Cameron is at a pivotal point in his career. He could spend the next decade working on two more Avatar films, or he might shift his focus to different projects, like The Last Train to Hiroshima – a planned movie based on the true story of a man who survived both atomic bombings in Japan.

Cameron says he’ll review the situation once things calm down. He’s confident in the film Fire and Ash, noting that test audiences have been emotionally moved by it and that he’s achieved his artistic vision. He believes any failure wouldn’t be due to the film itself, but rather to external factors beyond his influence.

The risks are high and success isn’t guaranteed, but in today’s Hollywood, it’s a safe bet to never underestimate James Cameron.

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2025-12-03 21:18