When discussing films, the written content and what ultimately appears on screen can be vastly different. For instance, upon the leak of the original script for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” some fans believed it surpassed the actual film. Yet, alterations can sometimes be essential, such as when two separate Marvel actors nearly took on the role of Jake Sully in “Avatar.” Even more significantly, for “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the complete ending required a rework during post-production.
In a conversation with The National, director James Cameron shared that the initial ending for “Avatar: Fire and Ash” was entirely redone to create a version he deemed more suitable for the franchise. Since “Fire and Ash” premiered on December 19, audiences won’t experience what the original ending entailed, but we can provide a glimpse into Cameron’s original vision.
We endeavored to steer clear of spoilers, but given that this pertains to an ending, please heed this spoiler alert. As of this writing, “Avatar: Fire and Ash” boasts a 67% Tomatometer score and a 91% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, with film critics consistently voicing similar concerns. The ending doesn’t seem to be among those critiques, indicating Cameron may have made the right choice.
Reasons Behind James Cameron’s Alteration of the Ending
In his talk with The National, director James Cameron – who previously worked his magic on a Kurt Russell sci-fi film – disclosed that “Avatar: Fire and Ash” initially contained a wholly different conclusion, prompting the director to reshoot numerous scenes. At first, Cameron envisioned the movie showcasing Na’vi leader and former marine Jake Sully bringing together all the clans in Pandora by equipping them with automatic weaponry. However, as he progressed with editing, he began to understand that the initial ending was overly connected to American colonialism – a time when early settlers displaced native populations significantly.
Addressing the publication, Cameron remarked, “At a certain point, it just struck me – [the film’s conclusion] aligns with colonial history. Equipping the tribes and forcing them to fight against one another is genuinely misguided.” He added, “That was part of the North American genocide of indigenous peoples. I can’t allow Jake to replicate that.” Adjusting the ending for a better fit with the film’s anti-colonialist message wasn’t straightforward, as it involved cutting other elements from the film and bringing back the original cast for reshoots.
Fortunately, the actors were eager to revise the ending. Sam Worthington, who portrays Jake Sully, told The National that “Avatar” reshoots are commonplace. “I’d receive a call saying, ‘hey man, can you come in? I want to experiment with something.’ [Cameron] never truly stops creating. You never fully depart from ‘Avatar.'” You can now see “Avatar: Fire and Ash” in theaters.
