00:00When we did the first movie, I don't think anyone, we had no inclination of kind of continuing it.
00:05And Jim called up many years later and said, I've got an idea of how to develop this into a saga.
00:10That's very exciting and to use that love story as the basis is great.
00:15It naturally progresses to a family.
00:17It's time to return to Pandora for Avatar.
00:20Fire and Ash, which marks the third film in the beloved and groundbreaking franchise.
00:25The stars of the movie, as well as director James Cameron, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter all
00:30about the new film.
00:30It really feels like this movie is the most intense and emotional.
00:35Avatar movie so far.
00:36It sees Neytiri grieving the death of one of her sons.
00:40What was it like taking these characters to this emotional place?
00:43It was difficult.
00:44It's not.
00:45These are not emotions that actors are skipping to work, to incarnate.
00:50But I feel really comforted by the fact.
00:55That I was able to do it with Sam and Jim.
00:57This movie, we're taking those emotions.
01:00We're taking these characters more complex and deeper.
01:02So, when you're doing the...
01:05Battle scenes, they're constructed in a way where they have to be very precise.
01:10But when we're doing the ones with each other, there's a...
01:15Freedom to it.
01:16And we don't know where each actor is going to take it.
01:18And they're emotionally charged.
01:20And they're emotionally true.
01:21I feel they portray these people in this marriage.
01:25With such honesty and such courage.
01:28And it really takes my breath.
01:30That's a way.
01:31I mean, you don't have many action films that are so...
01:35Satisfying and moving on so many levels.
01:38This one, I just felt like it was time to...
01:40To shift the emphasis to the people, to the family.
01:43We know these characters now.
01:44We've known...
01:45We've known them long enough.
01:46We can go, you know, into deeper places with them.
01:50And put it all in jeopardy.
01:51So, it's not just about having a big fight and see who lives and who dies, right?
01:55It's more about their heart, their soul is in jeopardy, right?
01:58And we want to see them...
02:00We want to heal.
02:01We want to come out of it with some hope.
02:02And I don't like give it all away, but, you know, I'm such a...
02:05For a happy ending.
02:07Within reason.
02:08What do I want?
02:10What you've never had.
02:12What you've never had.
02:15What you've never had.
02:16What you've never had.
02:17An equal.
02:18The new film introduces the...
02:20trash people led by Varong, played by Una Chaplin.
02:23You're a new character in this movie, but...
02:25Your face is the big one on the poster.
02:27It's the big one on the billboards.
02:29What's it like driving around?
02:30L.A.
02:31And seeing your face on these big billboards.
02:33I've received the pictures of the billboard.
02:35and stuff from like my mother-in-law and like, you know, my friends.
02:38But I, you know...
02:40I live out in the country and I don't really ever leave my house
02:42because there's a lot of gardening to do.
02:44But it's amazing.
02:45You know, it's been such a gift.
02:47And I was actually, I was talking to Deborah Scott Lee.
02:50Who designed the costumes.
02:51You know, a lot of it is like people were out on the carpet last night dressed.
02:55You know, they haven't even seen the movie.
02:57This has been such an incredible piece of collaboration.
02:59I just...
03:00love the fact that I get to go on this ride because I really put my heart...
03:05and soul into it and I enjoyed it very, very much.
03:08But then, you know, the artists down...
03:10on the line, they really made her have so much flair.
03:13And I just love her.
03:14I mean, I...
03:15I was looking up at myself on screen and I...
03:17Whoa!
03:18That's cool!
03:19You know?
03:20That's...
03:20So cool!
03:21Steven and Una, you share so many scenes together in this film.
03:24What was it like...
03:25working together on this?
03:26It gets set in the scene.
03:28I say, you know, you want some...
03:30I've got something...
03:31I've got something that you've never had.
03:33An equal.
03:34And that comes...
03:35that kind of feeling of equality.
03:37The...
03:38the shifting of...
03:39of power.
03:40within the scene itself.
03:42Well, I shouldn't say that because she wields all the power.
03:45in the scene, it seems to me, but...
03:47but...
03:48but there's a certain power in being...
03:50becoming submissive.
03:51And you never think of Korach as a submissive.
03:55character.
03:56So it's wonderful to be able to add these new colors,
03:58you know, with her.
03:59Wow!
04:00Do you still live?
04:02What if every human being on Earth could live here without a mask?
04:05Then the nervy people...
04:08will be gone.
04:09And...
04:10everyone who's worked on the film has such amazing things to say
04:12about James Cameron as a director.
04:15What's it like working with him?
04:16And is there one note he's given you over the years that's really stuck with you as just...
04:20the best note he's ever given you?
04:22I love when he says,
04:23I don't know, but let's try it.
04:25Okay.
04:26You want to try it, kiddo?
04:28I'm like, yep.
04:29I just...
04:30I...
04:31I...
04:32I...
04:33I love...
04:34I love that he never makes...
04:35I love that he never makes you feel like you're in the way that...
04:40you are creating an imposition by being curious, by asking a question, by making us...
04:45a suggestion.
04:46He welcomes it so much, and I...
04:48I...
04:49I need to work with directors.
04:50like that.
04:51Because I care so...
04:52and...
04:53and I'm coming to work with so much...
04:55and...
04:56and...
04:57and...
04:58and...
04:59and...
05:00and I...
05:00and...
05:01and with the best of intentions.
05:02So...
05:03when I feel really seen and...
05:05appreciated and valued like that...
05:07it's...
05:08it's...
05:09it's healing.
05:10Unlike what a lot of people have thought...
05:12this is not a technological...
05:15process.
05:16The technology happens so far away, and so...
05:19we're at a...
05:20kind of...
05:21early theater rehearsal...
05:22going for it.
05:23And Jim's right there with us.
05:25So his...
05:26belief in us...
05:27his protection of us...
05:28is so ongoing.
05:30It...
05:31it's...
05:32just spoils you.
05:33Why do you think actors love working with you as a director?
05:35I think it's because I...
05:37I...
05:38I...
05:39I give them a lot of...
05:40free reign...
05:41and...
05:42and then I'll just come in and I'll...
05:44I'll speak from the...
05:45character.
05:46So I think being a writer is...
05:47is...
05:48is critical.
05:49You know, I think if I was just...
05:50hired gun visual director...
05:51this wouldn't work...
05:52you know, the same way...
05:53because the visual stuff...
05:55is like the camera style...
05:56the lighting...
05:57and all that sort...
05:58sort of stuff.
05:59And I...
06:00I shovel that all off.
06:00to...
06:01to later.
06:02I take that all off them.
06:03So they're not waiting around.
06:04They're not in their...
06:05they're not in their trailer waiting...
06:06for us to...
06:07to light the reverse.
06:08You know...
06:09they're just always...
06:10gone.
06:11And they're always in a close-up too.
06:12So it's like...
06:13guys, you're served...
06:14you're in a close-up all the time.
06:15you've got to bring it.
06:16But it's trust.
06:17Right?
06:18It's about trust.
06:19It's about them...
06:20going through the process...
06:21and...
06:22trusting the outcome.
06:23This world goes much...
06:25deeper than you imagine.
06:30more...
06:31more...
06:32more...
06:33more...
06:34more...
06:35As Avatar Fire and Dash is being released, the future
06:40of the franchise is up in the air.
06:41As Cameron has said that the box office performance of this film
06:45will determine whether or not he makes his planned 4th and 5th movies.
06:50I love the opportunity, it's a crackling good story for, you know.
06:55I mean, I have no bones about that story, I know it's a strong story.
07:00And it takes Spider way far from what you think.
07:05Ideally in a good way, but that said, you know, I mean you're keenly aware
07:10working for The Hollywood Reporter that, you know, the landscape is changing,
07:14the ground is shifting.
07:15It's shifting under our feet in terms of the theatrical marketplace.
07:19And is that still...
07:20It's still going to be a thing.
07:21Is that still even going to exist by the time I could get those movies done?
07:25And the business model of an Avatar movie is being threatened simply...
07:30by that contraction of the theatrical marketplace and by the fact...
07:35that at this very same time we're losing revenue, costs are going up continuously.
07:40especially in VFX, which is where we spend most of our money.
07:44The performance capture...
07:45That work is relatively inexpensive.
07:46Much, much cheaper than live action production.
07:48And it really gives us a chance...
07:50to be creative and to take our time, you know, in making two and three together.
07:55as one production.
07:56We spent 18 months with Sigourney and Sam.
08:00and Zoe and all the others.
08:02Just getting it right, you know.
08:04And it's...
08:05It's unhurried.
08:06It's creative.
08:07It's playful.
08:08It's unhurried.
08:09It's creative.
08:10It's playful.
08:11You know, it's really quite a wonderful experience.
08:13The actors love it.
08:14I love it.
08:15As a writer-director, because I'm...
08:16creating these characters and...
08:18watching them bring them to life.
08:21You know, it's...
08:22It's a joyful process.
08:24Avatar Fire and Dash hits the...
08:26theaters December 19th.
08:27For much more on the film, go to THR.com.
08:30For The Hollywood Reporter...
08:31For The Hollywood Reporter News, I'm Tiffany Taylor.
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