The next chapter in James Cameron’s Avatar saga is heating up. Ahead of its December 19 theatrical release, Avatar: Fire and Ash has unveiled its main villain — and confirmed that the first official trailer will premiere exclusively in theaters before showings of Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, out July 25.
Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones) stars as Varang, the fierce and war-hardened leader of the Mangkwan Clan — also known as the Ash People. Once loyal to Eywa, the deity of the Na’vi, Varang and her tribe have turned their backs on the spiritual figure after their volcanic homeland was destroyed, leaving them in a desolate ash-covered terrain. Now, she leads with flame and fury.
“Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship,” Cameron told Empire. “She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil.” Chaplin’s chilling performance reportedly comes alive through Wētā FX’s character animation. In one scene teased in the trailer, Varang snarls at Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), “Your goddess has no dominion here,” suggesting deeper ideological fractures between Na’vi clans.
This marks the first time the Avatar franchise introduces a Na’vi villain at the center of its conflict — a shift from the previous two films’ focus on human invaders. According to Cameron, Fire and Ash seeks to move beyond a “black-and-white” moral lens and instead explore complex inner-Na’vi turmoil.
The new trailer, which debuted for press and CinemaCon attendees earlier this year, features:
- A fiery clash between the Ash People and the soaring Wind Traders — a new airborne tribe with jellyfish-like sky ships.
- Kiri seemingly captured by Varang.
- Lo’ak (Britain Dalton) and Tsireya (Bailey Bass) growing closer, teasing new generational dynamics.
- The return of ocean life, including the Tulkun creatures and the water-bound Metkayina tribe.
Fire and Ash picks up directly after The Way of Water, with the Sully family still on the run from human forces, now facing threats from within Pandora itself.
With Avatar and The Way of Water having grossed over $2 billion each globally, anticipation is high for Fire and Ash. Should it follow suit, it would make Avatar the only franchise with three entries crossing the $2B mark.
Catch the first full trailer in theaters starting this weekend — but only if you’re watching Fantastic Four: First Steps.