Avatar 3's New Wind Tribe Explained By James Cameron: "They're Nomadic Traders"
Avatar: Fire and Ash director James Cameron reveals more about the nomadic Na'vi tribe known as the Wind Traders. Serving as a follow-up to 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water, the third installment in the hit Avatar franchise will once again follow the Sully family as they deal with the invading human forces on Pandora. The Avatar: Fire and Ash story, however, is set to complicate this narrative, adding in the villainous Ash People and the Wind Traders, expanding what audiences know about the alien world and its inhabitants.
In a recent interview with Empire, Cameron teases more about what's to come from the Wind Traders in Avatar: Fire and Ash, likening them to nomadic groups in Earth's own history. The Wind Traders also have their own unique Pandoran creatures that they fly around on, and the director's comments suggest that this will make for quite the visual experience. Check out Cameron's comment below:
They’re nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages. And you know, they’re just fun. Like all Na’vi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures. If you’ve got any nautical blood in your veins, you’ll want to be on [their] ship.
In addition to previewing the Wind Traders, Cameron also provides more information about the Ash People and their fierce leader, Varang, who is played by Oona Chaplin. He promises a notable shakeup to the familiar Na'vi/ human dynamic:
Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She's hardened by that. One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic. We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm.
[Oona Chaplin] is so good that I didn’t quite appreciate how good her performance is until we got the Wētā animation back. She’s an enemy, an adversarial character, but [Chaplin] makes her feel so real and alive.
Cameron's comments accompany two new concept art images – featured below – for the upcoming Avatar film, one of which shows off the Wind Traders' flying creatures. The other provides a new look at the Ash People atop their Ikrans, with Varang leading the pack.
What The Wind Traders Mean For Avatar 3
Fire & Ash Continues A Key Franchise Trend
Following the Sully family and the Na'vi as they attempt to repel human invaders is a key part of the Avatar franchise, but so too is the exploration of Pandora. While the first movie sticks mostly to a lush rainforest environment of the Omatikaya, the sequel takes to the seas and introduces the Metkayina. Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to continue this trend, introducing the darker and more dangerous environment of the Ash People, which concept art has hinted will be very volcanic in nature.
The Wind Traders will be an interesting addition to the story since they're not directly tied to any specific Pandoran biome. Their travel atop giant living air ships could mean that audiences will see an array of new locations on the planet, at least from an aerial vantage point. With the Avatar: The Way of Water ending featuring Jake (Sam Worthington) affirming that their new home is with the Metkayina people on the coast, it's not exactly clear how the Wind Traders enter the picture, but they could presumably visit this reef location on their travels.
Cameron will be making five Avatar movies in total, with the fifth and final entry set to hit theaters in 2031.
Our Take On The Wind Traders & The Ash People
Both Are Great Additions To The World Of Avatar
Showing audiences the beauty of Pandora and putting story aside for a moment to focus on vibes has been a key pillar of the Avatar franchise's success. The Wind Traders look to be a strong addition in this regard, as they open the door to show more of Pandora and its inhabitants.
The Ash People, on the other hand, will be an interesting source of conflict in the upcoming movie, complicating the story for the Avatar cast of characters. With humans no longer the only threat for the Sully family, Fire and Ash could be thematically and narratively more complex. Many questions remain about Avatar: Fire and Ash, but the return to Pandora is already looking like a magical experience.
Source: Empire
Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Release Date
- December 19, 2025
- Director
- James Cameron
- Writers
- Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, James Cameron
- Producers
- Jon Landau, James Cameron
- Prequel(s)
- Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water
Cast
Jake Sully
Neytiri
Kiri
Colonel Miles Quaritch
Avatar: Fire and Ash is a 2025 science fiction film continuing the saga of Pandora. Jake Sully and Neytiri confront a formidable new enemy, the Ash People, led by Varang. Struggling with personal loss and external threats, they strive to protect their family and Pandora's future.
