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James Cameron announces China release date, premiere for 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'

By Zhang Rui
China.org.cn
| October 12, 2025
2025-10-12

Legendary filmmaker James Cameron recently announced that the latest installment in his juggernaut "Avatar" series will be released across China in December, and confirmed that he will attend the film's China premiere, which will be held during the Hainan Island International Film Festival.

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James Cameron announces the China release date of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" via video. [Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios]

"To all our amazing 'Avatar' fans across China, thank you for your passion and unwavering support over the years," Cameron said in a video released alongside a new trailer on Oct. 9. "I'm thrilled to say 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' is officially coming to China on Dec. 19."

The release date coincides with the film's North American debut, as well as with that of many other international markets.

The film's China premiere will be held at the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival and will be presented using China's advanced CINITY film projection system — an independent intellectual property of China Film Group — to deliver a magnificent big-screen experience. Cameron will also attend the premiere in Hainan, inviting audiences once again into the immersive, eye-opening alien world of Pandora.

The latest chapter in the epic saga picks up after 2022's Oscar-winning global phenomenon "Avatar: The Way of Water" and continues the story of the Sully family, following Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) and their children as they fight for the future of Pandora. Their peace ends when they clash with the Mangkwan — also known as the Ash People — a fiery Na'vi clan displaced by volcanoes, isolated from others and questioning the guidance of Pandora's spiritual entity, Eywa. The Mangkwan are led by their formidable leader, Varang (Oona Chaplin).

Ahead of the theatrical release of "Fire and Ash" in December, "The Way of Water" is being re-released in 3D in China from Oct. 3-12. It returned to the big screen in two premium formats — IMAX and CINITY — for special showings to build anticipation.

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An IMAX poster for "Avatar: The Way of Water" re-release in China. [Image courtesy of IMAX China]

Following the end credits of "The Way of Water" re-release screenings, the different digital prints feature one of three new "Fire and Ash" clips — each lasting over 2 minutes. One clip introduces the Tlalim Clan, also known as the Wind Traders, a nomadic Na'vi group led by Peylak.

Cameron also recommended premium large-screen formats like CINITY and IMAX, which allow audiences to return to Pandora but with an improved, even overwhelming experience.

"I love seeing my films in CINITY format. There's a brightness and obviously they support the high frame rate. There's a higher dynamic range. It really is a superior format. I think that the 'Avatar' movies get along with the CINITY format perfectly," he said.

Meanwhile, Cameron noted the unique quality of IMAX, which creates a relationship between screen size and seating distance, giving audiences a sense of immersion even from the back row.

"As a filmmaker, I love that because I want you to be in that world," he said. "I want your mind to go through that screen, into that world and be there with those characters."

"We also put a lot into the frame — the detail of the characters, the detail in the wardrobe, the detail in the world around them," the director added. "All the creatures are incredibly detailed. We create a world, the cultures within the world, then the families, and then the characters within the families. It's like a series of nested realities. I absolutely encourage that idea of watching more, making little discoveries within the film."

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A poster for "Avatar: Fire and Ash." [Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios]

"I think it's kind of an amazing opportunity for people to see 'Way of Water' again in theaters. And then a couple months later, they can see 'Fire and Ash' in theaters. I think that can make a huge impact, maybe especially on new fans that haven't seen 'The Way of Water' in theaters at all," he said. "It's really a good thing to think of 'The Way of Water' and 'Fire and Ash' as being kind of one big movie you can just plunge into. You can go deep; you can just live on Pandora. Most importantly, I think you can go on the journey of these characters through all of their trials and hardships."

The "Avatar" franchise revolutionized the film industry in 2009 with its first installment. It became a global cultural phenomenon, ushering in the 3D era for cinemas worldwide, accelerating the growth of IMAX and transforming China's film industry. The original film earned $2.92 billion worldwide and remains the highest-grossing movie in history, while its sequel, "Avatar: The Way of Water," grossed $2.32 billion to become the third-highest-grossing film worldwide. In China, the two preceding installments earned 1.72 billion yuan and 1.7 billion yuan respectively.




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