James Cameron has shared exciting details about the new Na’vi tribes featured in Avatar 3: Fire and Ash, the upcoming sequel to 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water. The third installment in the blockbuster franchise continues the story of the Sully family as they confront the ever-looming threat of human invaders on Pandora. However, Fire and Ash promises to expand the world of Pandora, introducing two new Na’vi tribes: the Wind Traders and the Ash People.
In an interview with Empire, Cameron described the Wind Traders as a nomadic group inspired by historical trade caravans on Earth, such as the camel caravans of the Middle Ages’ Spice Road. The Wind Traders have their own unique flying creatures, creating what Cameron promises will be a visually stunning addition to the franchise.
“They’re nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages,” Cameron said. “And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures. If you’ve got any nautical blood in your veins, you’ll want to be on their ship.”
In addition to the Wind Traders, Fire and Ash introduces the Ash People, led by the fierce Varang, played by Oona Chaplin. Unlike previous films, which largely depicted the Na’vi as noble and the humans as antagonists, Cameron explains that the new film will challenge the binary “good versus evil” dynamic.
“Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that,” Cameron said. “She will do anything for them, even things we would consider to be evil. One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic. We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm.”
Cameron also praised Chaplin’s performance, saying, “Oona Chaplin is so good that I didn’t quite appreciate how good her performance is until we got the Wētā animation back. She’s an enemy, an adversarial character, but she makes her feel so real and alive.”
Newly released concept art for Fire and Ash offers a glimpse of the Wind Traders flying through the skies on massive, coral-like Pandoran creatures. Another piece depicts the Ash People on their Ikrans, led by Varang on a four-winged creature. These visuals hint at the breathtaking scale and intricate detail fans can expect from the film.
Cameron teased more about the film’s epic scope, revealing that Fire and Ash will run approximately three hours and will introduce not only the Ash People, also known as the Mangkwan Clan, but potentially a Fire Na’vi tribe as well.
With its deeper exploration of Pandora’s culture and the promise of morally complex characters, Avatar 3: Fire and Ash aims to push the franchise into bold new territory. The film is set to premiere on December 19, 2025.