New Look at Varang: Leader of the Ash Clan in James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash

A new look at Varang, the leader of the Ash Clan and the villain in James Cameron‘s Avatar: Fire and Ash, has been revealed. The character is played by Oona Chaplin. Check out the image below.

In the third Avatar movie, Jake Sully’s story will take Jake and Neytiri’s family into uncharted territory and introduce a new Na’vi group, the Ash Clan. They have a darker, more complex relationship with Pandora, shaped by hardship and survival. Described as reflecting the worst side of the Na’vi, the Ash Clan is filled with anger and rage after their civilization was destroyed by a volcanic eruption.

In an interview with Empire, Cameron said, “Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through incredible hardship. She’s hardened by that.” Cameron added, “She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil,” he teases.

“One thing we wanted to do in this film is not be black-and-white simplistic.” For once, it might not just be the human-led RDA causing trouble. “We’re trying to evolve beyond the ‘all humans are bad, all Na’vi are good’ paradigm,” Cameron explains.

The Wind Traders: A New Na’vi Group to Appear in Avatar: Fire and Ash

The Wind Traders are a new group of Na’vi featured in the film. They are nomads who trade goods, similar to camel caravans on ancient trade routes. They have a special bond with Pandora’s creatures, using them to travel and trade through the skies, while living in harmony with them, as all Na’vi do.

The Wind Traders bring exciting aerial adventures, showing Pandora from a new perspective. James Cameron describes them as both interesting and fun, adding richness to the world of the Na’vi. Their way of life is perfect for adventurers, with Cameron comparing their ships to a dream for anyone who loves the sea.

Directed by Cameron from a screenplay he co-wrote with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, it is the sequel to Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and the third installment in the Avatar film series.

In the film, Sam Worthington stars as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldaña plays Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver portrays Kiri, Stephen Lang returns as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Giovanni Ribisi appears as Parker Selfridge, and Kate Winslet plays Ronal. Cliff Curtis stars as Tonowari, Joel David Moore reprises his role as Dr. Norm Spellman, and CCH Pounder returns as Mo’at. Edie Falco portrays General Frances Ardmore, Brendan Cowell plays Captain Mick Scoresby, Jemaine Clement is Dr. Ian Garvin, Britain Dalton stars as Lo’ak, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss plays Tuktirey (“Tuk”), Jack Champion portrays Miles “Spider” Socorro, Bailey Bass plays Tsireya (“Reya”), Filip Geljo is Ao’nung, Duane Evans, Jr. plays Rotxo, Dileep Rao returns as Dr. Max Patel, and Matt Gerald reprises his role as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet.

Avatar: Fire and Ash will hit theaters on December 19, 2025, by 20th Century Studios.

Source: Empire