Is Avatar 3 Soundtrack Not Delivering the Expected Impact?
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third movie in James Cameron’s epic series, hit theaters on December 19, 2025, just days after its soundtrack dropped on December 5 from Hollywood Records. Fans hoped for another game-changer like the original Avatar score by James Horner or Simon Franglen’s work on Avatar: The Way of Water, which racked up over 750 million streams and won a 2023 World Soundtrack Award. But whispers online suggest the new soundtrack might not be packing the same punch. Check out the release details at https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Award-Winning-AVATAR-FIRE-AND-ASH-Composer-Simon-Franglens-Score-To-Be-Released-20251128.
Simon Franglen, the Grammy-winning composer behind Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On,” returned to score Fire and Ash. Cameron pushed him to explore fresh sounds for the film’s wild action, deep emotions, and new Ash Clan villains with their chaotic vibe. Franglen wove in about 90 percent original music, plus bits from Way of Water, Horner’s classic themes, and a new track called “Dream As One” sung by Miley Cyrus. He even used real 3D-printed instruments from the movie’s designs to give it a one-of-a-kind texture. Early reviews call it adventurous and thematic. One detailed breakdown praises it as an expansive follow-up that builds smartly on the past scores. You can hear a track like “I Can Be Your Guide” on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgA1c8apoyA.
So why the talk of letdown? The movie itself wowed early viewers with stunning visuals, intense action, and emotional depth. Social reactions rave about its spectacle, darker story, and stars like Zoe Saldana as Neytiri and Stephen Lang as Quaritch stealing scenes. Critics say it’s bigger and more moving than the first two, even if it feels familiar at times. A YouTube review rates visuals 10/10, action 9/10, and emotion 8/10, but skips calling out the music as a highlight. See those first reactions here: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/ and the YouTube breakdown at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bez6pRqN9E0.
The score shines in supporting the film’s grand scale and new Pandora elements, like the fiery Ash Clan’s aggressive chaos. Yet with the movie’s visuals and story dominating buzz, the music seems to blend into the background rather than leap out. Fans of the soaring, memorable themes from before might find this one lush but less instantly iconic. A full soundtrack review agrees it’s deeply thematic without major flaws. Dive into that at https://zanobardreviews.com/2025/12/12/avatar-fire-and-ash-soundtrack-review/.
Sources
https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Award-Winning-AVATAR-FIRE-AND-ASH-Composer-Simon-Franglens-Score-To-Be-Released-20251128
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/avatar-fire-and-ash-first-social-reactions/
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bez6pRqN9E0
https://zanobardreviews.com/2025/12/12/avatar-fire-and-ash-soundtrack-review/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgA1c8apoyA
