Trailer Breakdown: Breathtaking "Avatar: Fire and Ash" First Look Debuts Ahead of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps"
Audiences flocking to see Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps this weekend will also be the first to see the teaser trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash. Ahead of a press preview of Marvel’s summer blockbuster, we got to experience the trailer for James Cameron’s next cinematic masterpiece in glorious Dolby-Vision 3-D. Here is a breakdown of what fans can expect.
The trailer opens with some familiar imagery - Na’vi taking flight on the back of banshees and exploring a shipwreck on Ilu.
It also introduces some new creatures, floating gentle giants that look like living hot air balloons with tendril mouths. Our wonderment is shared by Kiri, who seems in awe of these creatures that offer a more harmonious flight than a banshee.
We’re reintroduced to some of the characters from Avatar: The Way of Water. Jake and Neytiri’s son Lo’ak has grown closer to Tsireya, daughter of the Metkayina clan’s chiefs. In one shot, we see her teaching him about how Ewa lives within him, with Kiri excited to see someone finally get the message across to him. We also see the two looking longingly into each other’s eyes on the beach at night.
Between shots of Tsireya’s parents exchanging nervous glances and Jake having a fight with Lo’ak that results with his son storming off, it seems the budding relationship is discouraged by their parents.
Another shot shows Jake and Neytiri having an argument, possibly related to Lo’ak. “You can’t live like this, baby," Jake tells his wife, “in hate."
A shot of the Sulley family wading at night through a dark river gives the impression that they have to sneak away from the comfort of their home with the Metkayina’s.
A few establishing shots detail the contrast between the Na’vi clans we already know (the forest Omaticaya’s from the first film and the seaside Metkayina’s from the second) and the new one from this film, the Mangkwan’s. A volcano erupts in the ashy distance as a Na’vi (presumably Jake Sulley) marches alone wearing a camouflage backpack. We see Jake and his family in battle with the Mangkwan’s in a forest battle that involves fire. Spider’s breathing apparatus seems to get damaged during this battle. Another fight sequence on floating rocks makes it look like Spider is at risk of falling off.
One of the most shocking clips finds Jake Sulley seemingly surrendering to the RDA. But this could be the start of a new alliance, as another shot shows him facing off against the Mangkwan’s with assistance of some RDA mechanical suits.
Kiri seems to play a big role in this story. The trailer features a scene where Metkayina queen Ronal encourages her to do something if she can. And after the trailer introduces Varang, leader of the Mangkwan, we see Kiri seemingly captive by her. “Your goddess has no dominion here," she tells the Ewa devotee.
Towards the end of the trailer, we see one of the most striking shots - Neytiri going head to head with Ronal, a fight that seems deeply personal at this point.
Fans of James Cameron’s Avatar films won’t want to miss the chance to see this trailer on the biggest screen possible when it debuts on Friday, July 25th with The Fantastic Four: First Steps.