Is Avatar 3 Holding Back Screeners for a Reason?
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in James Cameron’s epic Pandora series, hits theaters on December 19, 2025. Fans have noticed something odd: early screeners for critics are not out yet, even though the film is just days away. Press invites for screenings started going out recently, with most critics seeing it on the morning of December 1. For more details, check this source: https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/11/19/avatar-fire-and-ash-starts-screening-for-critics-on-december-1.
This delay in full reviews has sparked talk online. The social media embargo lifts super early on December 2 at 1:30 a.m., but full reviews cannot drop until December 16, only three days before the release. Why wait so long? It is not unusual for big blockbusters to control when opinions hit the public. Studios often hold back to build hype and avoid early leaks or bad buzz that could hurt ticket sales.
Think about the stakes here. Avatar: The Way of Water, the second film, made over 2.3 billion dollars worldwide after costing 400 million to produce. It was the top earner of 2022 and put Cameron in elite company with three films in the all-time top 20 grossers. Fire and Ash clocks in at a massive 3 hours and 15 minutes, the longest major studio movie of 2025, and it earned a PG-13 rating. The team just wrapped post-production on November 14, 2025, with final audio and video mastering done. See the Avatar Wiki for production notes: https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash.
This film has faced nine release delays since 2015, pushed back for better writing, pre-production, visual effects, pandemics, strikes, and even Star Wars scheduling clashes. Cameron said in 2020 that 95 percent was done, but tweaks kept coming. Full Wikipedia history is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash.
Is there a deeper reason for holding screeners? Some guess it ties to Oscar hopes. With reviews locked until December 16, the film aims for Best Picture nods without rushed takes. Cameron’s future rides on this one too, with rising VFX costs and questions about profitability. A hit could speed up Avatar 4 and 5, but a flop might pause the series for other projects.
In short, the controlled rollout looks like smart strategy for a high-risk, high-reward sequel. Critics get their look soon enough, and audiences decide starting December 19.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash
https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/11/19/avatar-fire-and-ash-starts-screening-for-critics-on-december-1
https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/wiki/Avatar:_Fire_and_Ash
