Avatar 3 Star Reacts to ‘Amazing’ First Footage From James Cameron Sequel

Giovanni Ribisi is one of the few lucky people who have already been able to see some footage of the franchise’s upcoming sequel, Avatar 3. Now officially titled Avatar: Fire and Ash, the follow-up is set to be released on December 19, 2025, and the film is currently in post-production. Hence, Cameron’s refusal to show any footage during 2024’s D23 event. Things are simply not ready. But, while talking to The Direct at a red carpet event for Strange Darling (which he produced but also participated in as cinematographer), Ribisi revealed more about the current status of Avatar: Fire and Ash, saying that he has now seen “a little bit” of the movie and declaring it “amazing.”

In the Avatar films, the actor portrays the unscrupulous Parker Selfridge, a former administrator of the Resources Development Administration, the mining company wreaking havoc in Pandora. His character hasn’t been particularly prominent so far, but he is important nonetheless, as he represents the corporate views that the film criticizes. Selfridge is set to appear throughout the franchise all the way to Avatar 5, the last entry of the series.

James Cameron’s Groundbreaking Visual Effects in Avatar

2009’s Avatar was an introduction to Cameron’s ambitious, epic, and innovative vision. The film was a major success for the director who, at the time, had largely been absent from the Hollywood spotlight for 12 years. It quickly became the highest-grossing film of all time (until Avengers: Endgame claimed the title ten years later) and paved the way for Cameron’s world to continue with several sequels. But “a rushed product” is profanity for Cameron, meaning audiences will need to be patient.

More than a decade after the first movie, Avatar: The Way of Water saw its release, and once again, we witnessed a director who’s able to bring to life the stuff that cinematic dreams are made of. The sequel introduces a whole new setting, with water being the primary element. Meaning it had to look good on the big screen. Which is no easy feat. Those who work in the special effects industry know that water is a complicated thing to replicate with CGI and other techniques. However, Cameron’s accomplishment paid off, with the film winning an Oscar for Best Visual Effects and leaving audiences in awe by the groundbreaking and realistic depiction of an alien world.

The next element that Cameron’s Avatar series will focus on is fire, as Avatar: Fire and Ash introduces Taboo and Game of Thrones star Oona Chaplin as Varang, the Na’vi leader of a volcano-dwelling “Ash People” clan.