The first trailer for James Cameron's Avatar threequel finally has a reported release date. News about Avatar: Fire and Ash has been ongoing since the release of Avatar: The Way of Water. But when it comes to an Avatar film, details and images are secondary to a trailer, which reveals James Cameron's next-level visuals and his vision for the franchise's next chapter.
According to @Cryptic4KQual on X, the release of the first trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash is literally imminent. Since Disney is expected to play the trailer before Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the Avatar 3 spot is also likely to drop online as early as the end of this week or possibly the next. So, fans can expect Avatar 3's first trailer to arrive online at the earliest on July 17, and at the latest on July 24, 2025 (but most likely some time in between those dates).
As the title suggests, Avatar: Fire and Ash will introduce audiences to a new Pandoran biome and its volcano-dwelling "Ash People" (who are red Na'vi, not blue?), with Varang, played by Oona Chaplin, as the film's main villain. Disney first showed a trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash exclusively to attendees at CinemaCon earlier this year (read a full summary of the Avatar 3 footage here), which was met with rave reviews, particularly in terms of the film's visuals. Therefore, this coming trailer will be the general public's first look at the franchise's new CGI environment and its characters.
James Cameron first announced Avatar 2 and 3 in 2010, following the original Avatar's 2009 release. Following a string of delays, the film is now set to debut on December 19, 2025. But even the upcoming threequel will spotlight a new corner of Pandora, many of Avatar 2's cast members are confirmed to return, anchored by Zoe Saldaña's Neytiri and Sam Worthington's Jake Sully (check out the 11 major characters returning for Avatar 3 here).
The Challenge Facing Avatar 3 (And Its Trailer)
Disney's decision to release the trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters for The Fantastic Four: First Steps is smart, given that the Marvel Studios film is anticipating a large reception and the threequel is releasing at the end of the year. But the real test is how audiences will respond to this footage and, more specifically, another Avatar film.
Ahead of the 2022 release of Avatar: The Way of Water, no one knew whether the sequel could recapture the success of the 2009 original, especially since 13 years had passed between the two projects. While Avatar 2 did shatter box office records and followed in the first film's financially successful footsteps, Avatar 3 is another test for the filmmaker and the strength of his franchise, and it begins with this coming trailer.
Now that the mystery of what an Avatar 2 could be has passed, the question is whether audiences will be eager to return to Pandora and visit another environment. Is the Sully family and early praise for Avatar 3's stunning visuals enough to get audiences in seats for a third time? Or does the December film and its marketing need to do something different, and have they already?
Finally, from a business perspective, can Avatar: Fire and Ash continue the franchise's streak of being among the highest-grossing movies ever made? Reception and the degree of interest in this coming trailer may offer an idea of just that.
