TEHRAN – The cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran will screen “Avatar: Fire and Ash” by James Cameron on Monday.

The 2025 epic science fiction film will be shown at the Nasseri Hall of the IAF at 5 p.m. with Persian subtitles.

Produced by Lightstorm Entertainment, it is the third installment in the “Avatar” film series and the sequel to “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022). The film features Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Kate Winslet reprising their roles from previous films. 

The story follows the human-turned-Na'vi Jake Sully and his family on the habitable moon Pandora, as they face the combined threat of the human RDA forces and the Mangkwan, a ruthless Na'vi clan.

Following the box office success of “Avatar” (2009), Cameron announced two sequels. “Avatar: Fire and Ash” started shooting simultaneously with “The Way of Water” in New Zealand in 2017, and filming wrapped in 2020. With an estimated production budget of at least $350 million, it is one of the most expensive films ever made.

“Avatar: Fire and Ash” had its world premiere last December. Critical response was mixed to positive, with praise for the visual effects and spectacle, but criticism for its runtime of more than three hours and for repeating the narrative beats of its predecessors. 

It was a box office success, grossing $1.490 billion worldwide and becoming the third-highest-grossing film of 2025, as well as the 16th-highest-grossing film of all time. 

The film won Best Visual Effects at the 98th Academy Awards and was also nominated for Best Costume Design. It received two nominations at the 83rd Golden Globes and was named as one of the top ten films of 2025 by the American Film Institute and the National Board of Review.

Two sequels are scheduled for release in 2029 and 2031, respectively, though their status is dependent on the box office performance of “Fire and Ash”.

James Cameron, 71, is a Canadian filmmaker. His films combine cutting-edge film technology with classical filmmaking techniques and have grossed over $10 billion worldwide, making him the second-highest-grossing film director of all time. 

A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, Cameron has received numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, as well as nominations for six British Academy Film Awards.

He first gained recognition for writing and directing the science fiction action film “The Terminator” (1984). He had further success with “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989), “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991), and “True Lies” (1994), as well as the “Avatar” franchise (2009–present). He directed, wrote, co-produced, and co-edited the historical romance epic “Titanic” (1997), winning Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing.

Three of Cameron's films, “Avatar” (2009), “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022), and “Titanic,” are amongst the top four highest-grossing films of all time. He directed the first film to gross over $1 billion, the first two films to gross over $2 billion each, is the only director to have had three films gross over $2 billion each, and is the first director to have four consecutive feature films gross over $1 billion each. 

SS/