No Yeoh in 'Avatar 3'—she's locked for Parts 4, 5!
James Cameron, the director of the Avatar franchise, has confirmed that Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh will not be featured in the third installment, Avatar: Fire and Ash. Despite previous speculations, Yeoh's character Dr. Karina Mogue will make her first appearance in the fourth film of the series. "Michelle Yeoh won't be in 3. She's in 4 and 5," Cameron clarified during an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Cameron clarified confusion over Yeoh's role
The director's statement comes in response to a 2021 photo shared by the late producer Jon Landau, which showed Yeoh on the set of the third Avatar film. This led to speculation about her appearance in the movie. However, Cameron clarified that this was a case of misreporting. "She will be coming in soon to do her part, which is an interesting, fun character," he added.
'Avatar' series planned for years, says Cameron
Cameron also shed light on the long-term planning involved in the Avatar series. "I mean, we're getting ahead of ourselves now. This whole thing has been planned for years and years. The scripts were all written years ago, through the end of movie 5," he shared. He also revealed: "So we've been working on parts of 4 even as we go along, mostly because we've got this young cast. We had to shoot them all while they were still young."
'We love Michelle': Cameron expressed admiration for Yeoh
Meanwhile, Cameron also expressed his admiration for Yeoh, stating, "We love Michelle. She was always a movie star, but she's blown up into a huge, huge phenomenon." He also shared his anticipation for working with her. To note, Avatar: Fire and Ash is slated to hit theaters on December 19, 2025. The yet-to-be-titled Avatar 4 is scheduled for release on December 21, 2029, followed by Avatar 5 on December 19, 2031, reportedly.
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' promises immersive experience
The official title for the third Avatar installment was unveiled at Disney's D23 convention by Cameron and Avatar stars Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington. They also displayed some concept art from the film. Cameron assured audiences of an immersive experience with high emotional stakes for all characters in the upcoming installment. "You'll see a lot more Pandora that you never saw before," he said.
