Fans rave over 'best antagonist in cinema history' in Avatar 3 trailer
Avatar 3 isn't scheduled to arrive in cinemas until December, but the filmmaker has created some early buzz for the next instalment in his epic big-budget sci-fi franchise.
Shot back-to-back with 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water, Fire and Ash sees the return of a sprawling cast including Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Stephen Lang, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass and Britain Dalton, plus new additions Oona Chaplin, Michelle Yeoh and David Thewlis.
And it's Chaplin's Varang, the fiery and aggressive leader of the newly-introduced new Mangkwan clan (Ash People), who has excited a lot of fans after her scene-stealing appearance in the trailer.
She's an intimidating figure in glimpses throughout, before her triumphant/terrifying moment at the end where she is seen warning Weaver's Kiri in menacing tones: 'Your goddess has no dominion here.'
'She's going to be one of the best antagonists of [sic] cinema history,' claimed one fan account after her fierce appearance in the trailer.
'She's gonna be such a sick villain,' added @NeekStreak, while @owenpratt93 observed: 'Varang already looks and feels like the best character of #AvatarFireAndAsh. The idea of a Na'vi who rejected Eywa is incredibly interesting, and this character oozes charisma even from just a few shots.'
Another fan acknowledged they were 'losing their mind over Varang' while @MoFandoms commented: 'The way she said 'your goddess has no dominion here', I peed a little.'
It comes after Cameron revealed the upcoming film's name and hinted at the antagonist at the D23 Disney fan event in California, which he appeared at last year August alongside Saldaña and Worthington.
'We're going into really challenging territory for all the characters that you know and love, and there are new characters – there's one especially, we think you're going to love, or maybe I should say love to hate!' he told the 12,000-stong audience, including Metro.
He also promised that fans would get to see 'a lot more of Pandora that you never saw before' with new cultures, settings, creatures and biomes.
'Here's what I can tell you – the new film is not what you expect, but it's definitely what you want,' he concluded.
Game of Thrones actress Chaplin, 39, is also the granddaughter of screen legend and comic Charlie Chaplin.
She has also given a bit more insight into the 'unresolved trauma' of Varang and the Mangkwan after they were hit by a natural disaster, which caused her to shirk Pandora's spiritual entity, Eywa.
'She basically goes towards a different power, and tries to harness that, and in so doing kind of raises her people out of misery,' Chaplin explained to Empire magazine.
'It's easy to fall into the villain mentality, but actually she's the hero of her people because she's saved them out of misery and starvation and begging.'
Avatar: Fire And Ash sees Jake (Worthington) and Neytiri's (Saldaña) family grappling with grief in the wake of the death of son Neteyam (Jamie Flatters) as conflict between the RDA and the Pandorans escalates after the Na'vi and Metikayina clan's hard-won victory at the end of Avatar: The Way of Water.
The Mangkwan promise to bring more conflict too; Cameron first teased them in January 2023, saying that he was featuring 'different cultures from those I have already shown' and that he plans 'to show the Na'vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides'.
'In the early films, there are very negative human examples and very positive Na'vi examples. In Avatar 3 we will do the opposite. We will also explore new worlds, while continuing the story of the main characters,' he explained to French publication 20 Minutes, via Total Film.
'I can say that the last parts will be the best. The others were an introduction, a way to set the table before serving the meal.'
Had a sneak peek at the AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH trailer last night (in 3D) – and James Cameron has me convinced all over again. Phenomenal. Tremendous visuals, new antagonist Varang may become my next obsession. Nothing convinced me #Avatar 3 won't be bigger and better than the last pic.twitter.com/JZn3SG13xY — Tori Brazier (@dinotaur) July 23, 2025
I have seen the trailer for #AVATAR Fire and Ash, and it is as stunning as anyone is anticipating. James Cameron once again looks to be unleashing a powerful story that will resonate, and the visuals are (somehow) on another level. There is no doubt in my mind that this WILL be… pic.twitter.com/Gp2zR2U5ky — Austin Burke (@theBurk3nator) July 21, 2025
I just EXPERIENCED the #AvatarFireAndAsh trailer in glorious 3D. I'm breathless. Visuals expectedly surreal but man is the Ash People's landscape something to behold. Pandora Civil War loading. What a privilege it is to be alive during this revolutionary franchise. @screenrant pic.twitter.com/4Xyfa5vJ5E — Liam (@LiamTCrowley) July 21, 2025
Journalists and tastemakers were previously lavishing the first proper look at Avatar: Fire and Ash with praise, after Disney secretly screened the trailer for them days ahead of its online release.
'As stunning as anyone is anticipating,' tweeted film critic Austin Burke, who also noted that 'the visuals are (somehow) on another level'.
'There is no doubt in my mind that this WILL be the biggest movie of 2025, and epic doesn't feel like it does this trailer justice…'
Meanwhile, @TheOscarRace simply announced, 'It's going to be the best film of the year', while ScreenRant's @LiamTCrowley admitted he was 'breathless'.
'What a privilege it is to be alive during this revolutionary franchise,' he added.
'Nobody is touching Cameron visually. The next Avatar looks amazing,' posted Kit Stone.
Others had exciting comparisons for the film on the strength of the first trailer alone.
'It's insane we're getting Last of the Mohicans meets like Empire Strikes Back!' suggested @MOVIEDEATHS. 'Giant action set pieces somehow the visuals look even better than Way of Water [sic].' More Trending
Thanks to the success of Avatar: The Way of Water, which is currently the third highest grossing film ever behind the first Avatar – having made over $2.3million at the box office – we will also get Avatar 4 and 5.
But not until December 2029 and December 2031, respectively.
Avatar: Fire and Ash releases in cinemas on December 19, 2025.
A version of this article was first published on July 23.
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MORE: Film hailed 'best sci-fi of all time' now available to stream for free
MORE: Critics breathless over 'phenomenal' first Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer ahead of imminent release
MORE: James Cameron labels Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning triumph 'a moral cop out'
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