James Cameron knows there’s a chance that his Avatar franchise could end with its third installment, Fire & Ash, at least on the big screen. The film series he’s dedicated the past few decades to is easily the most expensive ever attempted, and though its payoff is appropriately huge, there’s no telling if Fire & Ash will break the same box office records as Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water.
While the most visually stunning of the trilogy, Fire & Ash is not quite as narratively satisfying. At worst, it feels like a retread of moments from both previous films, even if those moments are rendered with incredible effect. Its cooler reception from critics — it debuted with a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes — might also affect the film’s commercial success. Cameron has been open about continuing the tale of the Sully clan elsewhere if Fire & Ash doesn’t recoup its costs: while the film does work to tie up most of its loose threads, it does leave the door open for this story to continue, namely through a long-teased redemption arc. Let’s break down the ending of Fire & Ash, how it sets up the next phase of this franchise, and whether it could all continue on the big screen.
