Quaritch Returns and Spider’s Caught in the Fire — First Look at ‘Avatar: Fire & Ash’ Characters

James Cameron is back with Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in his giant sci-fi series. It follows Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and yes, it’s still about blue aliens, deep emotions, and wild visuals. But this time, the story is going into even darker and more complicated places. And things are getting personal.

Cameron is not just directing this one. He also helped write the story along with Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Josh Friedman, and Shane Salerno. The film is made by 20th Century Studios and stars a huge returning cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and many others. A few new faces, like David Thewlis and Oona Chaplin, are joining too.

Now Empire Magazine has provided us with a new look at Quaritch (Stephen Lang) and Spider (Jack Champion).

The movie has been in the works for a long time. Filming started all the way back in 2017 and wrapped up in late 2020. But because of the tech needed for underwater scenes and big ideas stretching across multiple sequels, the release kept getting pushed back. Now, Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit theaters on December 19, 2025.

One of the most talked-about parts of the new movie is the return of Quaritch, played by Stephen Lang. He died in the first Avatar, but in The Way of Water, he came back in a new Na’vi body. And this time, he’s not just a villain, he’s also a dad.

His son, Spider, was left behind on Pandora when the humans left. Spider grew up with Jake Sully and Neytiri as part of their Na’vi family. But when Quaritch returned, Spider was stuck between two worlds—his biological father and his adopted one.

That conflict is getting deeper in Fire and Ash this is why Empire Magazine shared a first look at the two characters together. According to Stephen Lang, their relationship is getting even more intense. “They reconnect out of necessity,” Lang told Empire. “Their connection is not a solo connection. There are times when everybody comes together on some level. But, when enemies cooperate, you can be sure betrayal is just around the corner.”

It’s not just about who’s fighting who, though. Lang explained that his character is more confused this time, especially by his connection with Spider. “Spider confuses Quaritch,” Lang said. “But Quaritch wants clarity. There is something about Spider that Quaritch really loves — not a word we associate with him. I think respect and admiration really develop in spades, as well as animosity and manipulation. The relationship will deepen — for better or worse.”

This movie isn’t just action and big effects. Cameron says it’s also about the people. In an interview quoted by Empire, he said, “The big advance in ‘Fire and Ash’ is just going to be greater character depth. We’re seeing new cultures, new creatures—all the same stuff you’d expect from an ‘Avatar’ movie, but the whole idea of this cycle of films is to live with these people and go on this epic journey with them.”

He also shared that the story will carry through into movies four and five. So don’t expect everything to be wrapped up by the end of this one.

Another big piece of the movie is the introduction of the Ash People, a fiery new Na’vi tribe that represents a shift from the peaceful Na’vi we’ve seen before. Cameron wanted to shake things up, moving away from the idea that all Na’vi are good and all humans are bad. He said, “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.”

There will also be a group called the Wind Traders, described by Cameron as “nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages. And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures.”

Jack Champion, who plays Spider, said the script really surprised him. “I was very shocked by it. It just takes a hard left turn, and that’s not a bad thing… You also see more regions of Pandora, and you get introduced to more cultures. So I think it’s even better than Avatar 2.”

As the Avatar story continues, it’s not just about the big world of Pandora. It’s also about the small things that matter, like loyalty, identity, and broken families. And with Spider and Quaritch at the center of it all, Fire and Ash is shaping up to be one of the most emotional and intense entries in the series yet.

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