The production of any major studio blockbuster is a time-consuming process, but the Avatar films are particularly massive undertakings. Director James Cameron filmed sequels Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash at the same time, starting principal photography back in 2017. Between performance capture and live-action filming, there was a lot to do to get these ambitious films off the ground, and nobody would see the finished product until years later. With all the time that’s passed between shooting and the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash (hitting theaters this month), even the actors who star in the movies would be forgiven for forgetting about certain scenes.
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In an interview with ComicBook to promote the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Zoe Saldaña admitted there were sequences she had forgotten about until she had a chance to see the completed movie. “This movie was so big, and the cast, the storylines, and the characters are so rich,” she said. “So there were scenes that I was not a part of … and for some reason, when you’re shooting, you only focus on what you’re doing that you lose sight of what others are doing when you’re not in the room. But it’s a gift because I was able to watch it and rediscover it with fresh eyes, going, ‘Oh! I didn’t know that was how it transpired … I didn’t read that scene properly, I’m so happy it’s this way.’”
Saldaña continued, “And I was talking with Bailey [Bass] today, and she was saying the same thing. She was saying, ‘I had forgotten.’ And she’s not even 22, so I’m like, ‘Okay. It’s not because I’m old.’ It was just a lot. We did a lot.”
Fire and Ash Tells the Most Epic Story in the Avatar Franchise
Big-screen spectacle has long been the signature calling card of the Avatar franchise, and Fire of Ash won’t be any different in that regard. Early reactions to Cameron’s latest praise the stunning visual effects work, as the director continues to push the boundaries of filmmaking technology. But Fire and Ash is hoping to deliver more than just exciting action set pieces. Looking to evolve the franchise from a storytelling perspective, Cameron seems to have crafted the most captivating and epic narrative in the series yet. In the past, Cameron’s talked about wanting to use Fire and Ash to explore the concept of grief, and Saldaña’s comments prove the movie has plenty of substance to complement its style.
It’s great that Saldaña made a point to highlight the “rich” storylines and characters present in Fire and Ash. Too often, the conversation surrounding the Avatar franchise revolves around the revolutionary visual effects (and understandably so), but the movies also feature several memorable characters who have struck a chord with audiences. A common critique of the films is that their stories do not measure up to the jaw-dropping spectacle on display, and while there arguably is some truth to that (the first film in particular didn’t reinvent the wheel when it came to the plot), there’s still a lot to enjoy beyond the state-of-the-art visuals.
For Fire and Ash, Cameron is mixing up the Avatar formula by introducing the Ash People, who are the first antagonistic Na’vi in the franchise. He wanted to eschew the “all Na’vi good, all humans bad” dynamic established in the previous films by fleshing out the world of Pandora even further. Based on the footage that’s been shown in the Avatar: Fire and Ash trailers, villain Varang has the potential to be one of the most compelling characters in the Avatar franchise. She isn’t a one-note caricature; her tribe has a tragic backstory that adds depth to the film, and it’ll be interesting to see the Ash People in action.
With all that Avatar: Fire and Ash is looking to tackle, it isn’t surprising to hear Saldaña say she forgot about some scenes. During production, it was probably a lot to take in, and she understandably had to focus most of her energy on her own material (rather than worry about how other actors’ scenes were turning out). The good news is that if Fire and Ash was able to pleasantly surprise one of its most notable stars, fans should be in for a treat when they get a chance to see it.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
