Avatar: Fire and Ash — James Cameron’s third Avatar film — released in theaters on December 19, 2025, and began streaming on Disney+ on June 24, 2026. It is the longest film in the Avatar franchise at 3 hours and 17 minutes, the third Avatar movie to cross $1 billion at the global box office, and the conclusion of the story arc begun in Avatar: The Way of Water. This guide covers every practical question about the film: the streaming date, runtime, whether there is an after-credits scene, what the film is actually about, the cast, where it was filmed, and what to expect if you are seeing it for the first time.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Full title | Avatar: Fire and Ash |
| Director | James Cameron |
| Screenplay | James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver |
| Studio | Lightstorm Entertainment / 20th Century Studios (Disney) |
| Theatrical release | December 19, 2025 (United States) |
| World premiere | December 1, 2025 — Dolby Theatre, Hollywood |
| Runtime | 3 hours 17 minutes (197 minutes) |
| Rating | PG-13 — intense violence, bloody images, thematic elements, suggestive material |
| After-credits scene | No — confirmed. Credits roll, film is over. |
| Digital release | March 31, 2026 |
| Blu-ray / DVD release | May 19, 2026 |
| Disney+ streaming | June 24, 2026 (began at 3:00 AM ET) |
| Box office (worldwide) | $1.490 billion (final total) |
| Box office (domestic US/Canada) | $404.3 million |
| Production budget | At least $350 million |
| Rotten Tomatoes | ~67% (critics); audience scores higher |
| Formats | IMAX, 4DX, 3D, standard |
What Is Avatar: Fire and Ash About?
Avatar: Fire and Ash picks up almost immediately after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and the Sully family are living among the Metkayina reef clan while grappling with grief following the loss they experienced in the previous film. The story brings them into contact with two new elements: the Wind Traders, a Na’vi clan of airborne traders, and the Ash People — a ruthless, fire-dwelling Na’vi tribe known as the Mangkwan or Ash People, led by the fierce warrior Varang (Oona Chaplin).
The official synopsis: ‘Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.’ The film expands Pandora’s world to include the volcanic, ash-covered territories of the Ash People alongside the aerial culture of the Wind Traders — adding a third biome (fire/volcanic) to the ocean-focused second film and the forest-focused original.
The film is set against the continuing backdrop of the Resource Development Administration (RDA) human colonization effort, which continues to threaten Pandora’s ecosystems and Na’vi clans. Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), now existing as a Na’vi avatar himself, remains a central antagonist.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Full Cast
| Actor | Character |
| Sam Worthington | Jake Sully — human-turned-Na’vi, protagonist |
| Zoe Saldana | Neytiri — Na’vi warrior, Jake’s mate |
| Sigourney Weaver | Kiri — adopted daughter of the Sully family |
| Stephen Lang | Colonel Miles Quaritch — antagonist, now Na’vi avatar |
| Kate Winslet | Ronal — Metkayina clan leader |
| Oona Chaplin | Varang — leader of the Ash People (new character) |
| Bailey Bass | Tsireya — Metkayina clanswomen |
| Britain Dalton | Lo’ak — Sully son |
| Trinity Bliss | Tuktirey (Tuk) — Sully daughter |
| Jack Champion | Spider — human boy raised on Pandora |
| David Thewlis | Peylak — new character, Wind Trader |
| Edie Falco | New character (general/official role) |
Can Anyone Go to the Avatar: Fire and Ash Premiere?
The world premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash was held on December 1, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Like most major Hollywood premieres, the premiere was not open to the general public. Premieres of this scale are typically attended by the cast and crew, studio executives, press, and invited industry guests. Tickets are not sold to the public for a world premiere event.
However, ‘fan premiere’ screenings — which are sometimes held separately from the official world premiere — do allow public attendance. These are special screenings organized by the studio at major theater chains in the days before the film’s wide release, where tickets are sold publicly but may include premiere-style elements like costumed appearances. For Avatar: Fire and Ash, fan screenings and early premiere events took place at IMAX locations and AMC theaters in the days leading up to December 19, 2025 — these were publicly ticketed events.
For future Avatar films (Avatar 4 is expected in 2029), the same pattern applies: official premiere events are not open to the public, but fan screenings and advance screenings typically are. Sign up for AMC, Regal, or Fandango email lists to receive notifications when advance screenings are announced.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Runtime — 3 Hours and 17 Minutes
Avatar: Fire and Ash runs for 3 hours and 17 minutes (197 minutes). This makes it the longest film in the Avatar franchise, five minutes longer than The Way of Water (3 hours 12 minutes) and 35 minutes longer than the original Avatar (2 hours 42 minutes).
There is no intermission. The film plays straight through. For practical planning:
- A 7:00 PM showtime finishes at approximately 10:30 PM (including credits)
- A 7:30 PM showtime finishes at approximately 11:00 PM
- Account for 15-20 minutes of previews before the film starts at most theaters
The extended runtime was a deliberate choice by Cameron, who confirmed he needed every minute to tell the story. Critical reception was mixed on this point — some reviewers praised the epic scope; others cited the runtime as a weakness. For viewers planning to bring children, the film is a long commitment and contains intense sequences that may be uncomfortable for very young viewers.
Does Avatar: Fire and Ash Have an After-Credits Scene?
No. Avatar: Fire and Ash does not have a post-credits scene. Multiple publications confirmed this definitively: once the credits begin rolling, the film is over. There is no story content, character reveal, or teaser for Avatar 4 after the credits.
This is consistent with both previous Avatar films — neither Avatar (2009) nor Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) had post-credits scenes. James Cameron has publicly stated his view that a film should be complete on its own terms rather than serving as a commercial for the next installment. Fire and Ash sets up future films through its narrative, not through a post-credits sting.
The song ‘Dream as One’ (written by Miley Cyrus with Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt) plays during the end credits. A second original song, ‘The Future and the Past’ (composed by Simon Franglen, sung by Zoe Saldana in Na’vi language), closes the soundtrack album. If you want to hear these songs in context, staying for the credits is worthwhile — but there is no visual scene to accompany them.
Is Avatar: Fire and Ash on Disney+? Streaming Release Date
Yes. Avatar: Fire and Ash began streaming on Disney+ on June 24, 2026 — exactly 187 days after its theatrical release on December 19, 2025. The streaming launch was announced at Disney’s Upfront presentation in New York in May 2026, with Sigourney Weaver revealing the date onstage.
The film is available on both Disney+ tiers in the United States:
- Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
- Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year
The streaming release followed the standard Disney theatrical window. Avatar: The Way of Water (released December 2022) arrived on Disney+ on June 7, 2023 — 173 days after theatrical. Fire and Ash’s 187-day window is slightly longer, consistent with Disney’s stated policy of supporting theatrical runs before moving films to streaming.
Prior to the Disney+ launch, Avatar: Fire and Ash was available for digital purchase (from March 31, 2026) and on physical media (Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and DVD from May 19, 2026).
Avatar: Fire and Ash Rating — Is It Appropriate for Kids?
Avatar: Fire and Ash is rated PG-13 in the United States. The full MPAA rating description is: ‘PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images, some strong language, thematic elements and suggestive material.’ In the UK, the BBFC awarded a 12A rating (under-12s can attend with a parent).
The ‘bloody images’ language is slightly stronger wording than the previous Avatar film, and ‘thematic elements and suggestive material’ covers some emotional weight and mild intimate content similar to the original. For context:
- The film contains significant action violence involving weapons, combat, and injury
- There are emotionally intense sequences involving loss and grief that may affect younger viewers
- The 3 hour 17 minute runtime is a significant practical consideration for young children
For most teenagers and adults, the content is appropriate for the PG-13 rating. For children under 10, the runtime and intensity of some sequences make parental judgment important.
Where Was Avatar: Fire and Ash Filmed?
Like the previous Avatar films, the majority of Avatar: Fire and Ash was captured using performance capture technology in studio environments rather than traditional location filming. Principal photography took place in New Zealand, where Cameron’s production company Lightstorm Entertainment maintains its Avatar production facilities, and the film shot simultaneously with Avatar: The Way of Water beginning September 25, 2017, with filming wrapping in late December 2020.
The Na’vi characters, Pandoran environments, and virtually all action sequences were created using a combination of live-action performance capture and computer-generated imagery (CGI) by Weta FX (formerly Weta Digital) in Wellington, New Zealand. Avatar: Fire and Ash won the 2026 Academy Award for Visual Effects.
Environments seen in the film — the volcanic ash territories of the Ash People, the Wind Trader aerial culture, and the continuing reef environments of the Metkayina — are entirely computer-generated, building on the world-building established in the first two films.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Box Office Performance
Avatar: Fire and Ash grossed $1.490 billion worldwide at the global box office — making it the third Avatar film and the third Avatar to cross $1 billion. However, it is the lowest-grossing film in the franchise:
| Film | Worldwide Box Office | Opening Weekend |
| Avatar (2009) | $2.923 billion | $232 million |
| Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) | $2.320 billion | $441 million |
| Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) | $1.490 billion | $347.1 million worldwide |
The film opened to $89.16 million domestically — a 34.4% drop in opening weekend attendance compared to The Way of Water. It was the 4th-highest-grossing domestic release of 2025 and made Cameron’s Avatar trilogy the highest-grossing film trilogy of all time. Despite being the franchise’s lowest performer, $1.49 billion in global grosses remains a massive achievement for any film.
James Cameron’s Next Film After Avatar: Fire and Ash
Avatar 4 is the next film in the franchise, with a tentative release date expected in 2029, and Avatar 5 in 2031. Cameron has confirmed both are planned. Avatar 4 will incorporate a significant time jump that ages up the Sully children, with Trinity Bliss (Tuk) confirming that a small amount of pre-time-jump footage for Avatar 4 has already been shot. Michelle Yeoh (Wicked) has been confirmed as a new cast member for Avatar 4.
Cameron has floated the possibility that he might not personally direct Avatar 4 and 5, depending on how Fire and Ash performed — though no definitive announcement has been made. Whether Fire and Ash’s relatively lower box office performance affects his personal involvement remains to be seen.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Critical Reception and Rotten Tomatoes Score
Avatar: Fire and Ash received mixed to positive reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of approximately 67% at the time of release — the lowest critical score for any Cameron-directed Avatar film. Critics consistently praised the visual effects and spectacle (which won the Academy Award for Visual Effects) and Oona Chaplin’s performance as Varang. The primary criticism was that the film followed similar narrative beats to its predecessors and felt less groundbreaking than the original.
Collider’s review summarized the consensus: ‘This third Avatar film might not have the groundbreaking impact of the first film, or the vast improvement that The Way of Water had over what came before it, but Fire and Ash is still an exceptional moviegoing experience that proves there’s still plenty of gas in this tank.’
For Avatar: Fire and Ash merchandise, posters, wallpapers, and collectibles, see our guide to Avatar: Fire and Ash merch, posters, and collectibles.
For Na’vi names, language, character ages, and Pandora world lore, see our guide to Na’vi names, language, and Avatar world guide.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is now streaming on Disney+ — see the official Disney+ listing at disneyplus.com — available on both the ad-supported ($11.99/month) and ad-free ($18.99/month) tiers.
For the complete Avatar: Fire and Ash Wikipedia article with full cast, production history, and box office data, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash.
Bottom Line
| Streaming | Disney+ — June 24, 2026 |
| Runtime | 3 hours 17 minutes (197 minutes) |
| After-credits scene | No — confirmed by multiple sources |
| Rating | PG-13 |
| Box office | $1.490 billion worldwide |
| Premiere open to public? | No — cast/press/industry only; public fan screenings were available |
| Rotten Tomatoes | ~67% critics; visuals and Oona Chaplin praised |
| Won Academy Award | Visual Effects (2026) |
| Next Avatar film | Avatar 4 — expected 2029 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone go to the Avatar: Fire and Ash premiere?
The official world premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash on December 1, 2025 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood was not open to the general public — it was attended by cast, crew, press, and studio guests. Public fan screenings were held at IMAX and AMC locations in the days before the December 19 theatrical release, and these were publicly ticketed events available to anyone.
Is Avatar: Fire and Ash on Disney+?
Yes. Avatar: Fire and Ash started streaming on Disney+ on June 24, 2026, at 3:00 AM ET. It is available on both Disney+ (With Ads, $11.99/month) and Disney+ Premium (No Ads, $18.99/month). The film was also available for digital purchase from March 31, 2026, and on Blu-ray and DVD from May 19, 2026.
How long is Avatar: Fire and Ash?
Avatar: Fire and Ash runs for 3 hours and 17 minutes (197 minutes) — the longest film in the Avatar franchise. There is no intermission. The credits follow the film’s ending with the song ‘Dream as One’ by Miley Cyrus playing over them.
Does Avatar: Fire and Ash have an after-credits scene?
No. Avatar: Fire and Ash has no post-credits scene. Once the credits begin, the film is over. This continues the pattern of both previous Avatar films, which also had no after-credits sequences. James Cameron has stated his preference for films that are complete on their own rather than relying on post-credits stingers.
How much did Avatar: Fire and Ash make at the box office?
Avatar: Fire and Ash grossed $1.490 billion worldwide — $404.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $1.086 billion internationally. It is the lowest-grossing Avatar film but still crossed $1 billion globally, making the Avatar trilogy the highest-grossing film trilogy of all time.