Behind the Scenes: James Cameron on Audience Input and Bob Iger’s Advice for ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
James Cameron recently spoke about the feedback he received from Disney CEO Bob Iger on his upcoming film Avatar: Fire and Ash. In an interview, Cameron shared that Iger waited until there was something substantial to watch before giving his thoughts.
“He’s interesting. He doesn’t weigh in until it’s something for me to show. His comment when he watched [FIRE AND ASH] for the first time, even though it was at 3 hours, 23 minutes, not including credits at that point, so it’s gotten about 18 minutes shorter since then.”
“He said, ‘Yeah, I know you’re going to keep chopping away at it. But it’s magnificent.’ He basically said, ‘I love this film.’ And it was interesting because there were other heads on the Zoom that were bringing up notes. And he said, ‘Yeah, you know, I didn’t have a problem with that.’ And he basically shot them down on their notes. And I was like, ‘Okay, we’re done here.’” Cameron said.
Cameron also reflected on how audience feedback shapes his work. “You’ve got to use the Force to know what they’re talking about sometimes. But they can be incredibly articulate about what’s working for them, why it’s working, and what pushed them over the line. We seem to have hit exactly the right tone in terms of intensity now.”
Avatar: Fire and Ash is the third film in the Avatar franchise, directed by Cameron and co-written with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, from a story the trio developed with Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno.
The movie continues the story from Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and features returning cast members including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet, among others.
Cameron first announced plans for Avatar sequels in 2006, with two sequels officially announced in 2010. The complex filming process, including new underwater performance capture technology, extended production timelines. Fire and Ash began shooting alongside The Way of Water in New Zealand on September 25, 2017, and wrapped in late December 2020 after more than three years of filming.
There's no going back for Neytiri.
— Avatar (@officialavatar) November 26, 2025
On December 19, Avatar: Fire and Ash arrives in theatres and IMAX. Get tickets now: https://t.co/gSGJpeDyXY pic.twitter.com/8gIzQ9z4sN
The film has faced multiple release delays. It is now scheduled to premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on December 1, with a U.S. release on December 19. Two more sequels, Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, are expected in 2029 and 2031.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
