Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s runtime has now been officially confirmed by James Cameron, with the director also explaining why a key Jake Sully ally returns from the original film. The third installment in Cameron’s Avatar franchise arrives this December, continuing the saga of the Sully family as the RDA digs in on Pandora.
While many specifics remain shrouded in mystery, the latest Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer revealed that Jake and the Toruk, the great winged beast that Sam Worthington’s character tamed in the 2009 original movie, will reunite.
During a recent interview with Variety, Cameron explains how the Toruk returns in Fire and Ash, revealing that it was a relatively late addition to the film. In his explanation, the director also confirms that the third movie will be at least three hours in length. Check out Cameron’s full comment below:
The good news is I don’t really second guess my creative impulses. Unless, and this happened a little bit on “Fire and Ash,” I’m looking at it going, you know, I’m not that much of a genius screenwriter. There’s something a little off here in the storytelling.
And so, our Toruk is back [in “Fire and Ash”], right? You know, the big bird that Jake rides [in the climax of the first “Avatar”]. I’ve always been waiting for the question, “Why doesn’t he just go get the big red bird and kill everybody like he used to do?” Because that doesn’t exist in “The Way of Water” at all.
I got a big scoop here. It didn’t exist in “Fire and Ash.” And I went, “Oh, he’s got to go get the bird.” Come on! I was saving it for a later film. I was like, “F**k that! He should get the bird. Get the Toruk.” There’s something in Jake’s destiny that requires it, right?
So I just re-wrote it, and we went back and we shot two or three scenes around that concept, and I threw some stuff out and stuck that in. And we’re at three hours, big surprise! But it works beautifully, and the actors were super-excited about that idea. It’s like, oh, okay, that feels right, you know?
So it’s not set in stone. It’s a constantly evolving creative process. And that’s what keeps you vigorous and engaged.
What This Means For Avatar: Fire & Ash
Fire and Ash‘s runtime isn’t that surprising given how long the previous installments were. The original film is relatively long for a standard blockbuster at two hours and 42 minutes, but The Way of Water pushed this further, clocking in at a whopping three hours and 12 minutes. Cameron’s comment could suggest that the third film may actually be a few minutes shorter.
In any case, it doesn’t seem like Fire and Ash‘s long runtime will have much of an impact at the box office. The Avatar: The Way of Water reception was remarkably strong, with that film ending up grossing $2.32 billion and becoming the third highest-grossing movie of all time.
As for how Toruk factors into the Fire and Ash story after the Way of Water ending, Cameron’s comment about adding only a few scenes suggests the creature won’t be present for a large part of the runtime. With both the RDA and the Ash Clan set to serve as antagonists in this next adventure, though, Toruk could still play a pivotal role in the action.
In the original Avatar, Jake earns his place among the Na’vi by bonding with the Toruk, a creature far larger than an Ikran, which he uses to turn the tide in the battle against the RDA. Fire and Ash trailers suggest the new film will feature plenty of aerial action once more, and the Toruk is shown taking down a Scorpion attack vehicle.
There is a great deal of debate over movie runtimes these days, with some feeling that movies have simply become too long. For this writer, there is nothing inherently wrong with a long runtime, the movie just has to earn it. A well-paced three-hour movie is more enjoyable than a poorly paced two-hour one.
Though it remains to be seen whether Avatar: Fire and Ash will earn its three-hour runtime, Toruk’s return is an exciting element of the film after the creature’s absence in The Way of Water. Perhaps, the Toruk can become a Payakan-level ally to the Sully family, especially as the story continues in films four and five.