Disney unveiled Avatar: Fire and Ash and showcased new footage from Star Wars and Pixar films at a massive event attended by 12,000 fans in California on Friday. Avatar director James Cameron took the stage at Disney's biennial D23 fan event to announce the title of the latest installment of his sci-fi franchise, set to release in December 2025.
"The new film is not what you expect. But it's definitely what you want," Cameron hinted about his third journey to Pandora. The previous two Avatar films hold the record as the highest and third-highest grossing movies of all time, with a combined earnings of $5.2 billion.
Footage from the new movie, currently in production in New Zealand, featured the blue Na'vi characters around a campfire, along with images of colossal floating ships and flying creatures. Cameron promised heightened emotional stakes and introduced "new cultures, settings, creatures, and new biomes."
"You'll see a lot more of Pandora, the planet, that you never saw before," he stated. The fourth and fifth Avatar films are slated for 2029 and 2031. Additionally, during Friday's presentation, Disney fans got a first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Scheduled for May 2026, it will mark the first Star Wars film since 2019's controversial The Rise of Skywalker. Disney, which had previously released a new Star Wars film annually, significantly slowed down due to declining box-office returns. "We're putting Star Wars back on the big screen," said Dave Filoni, producer of the new film, which is derived from the streaming series The Mandalorian and will feature the beloved Baby Yoda.
On the television front, Jude Law stars as a Jedi in Skeleton Crew, streaming in December. The large D23 fan event caters to and highlights the intense loyalty of Disney's most dedicated fans. Every two years, thousands gather at a California convention center, dressed as their favorite princesses and heroes.
