Naman Shrestha
A direct sequel to ‘Avatar: The Way of Water‘ and the third installment in the ‘Avatar‘ franchise, ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is a science fiction action drama movie directed by James Cameron. Picking up right where the previous part ended, the narrative follows Jake and Neytiri’s family as they try to deal with the grief associated with the tragic death of Neteyam. As they make themselves at home with the Metkayina clan, they come across a dangerously aggressive Na’vi tribe — the Mangkwan clan, also known as the Ash People.
The new clan is led by Varang, who joins forces with Jake’s arch nemesis, Quaritch, making matters all the more complicated for Jake and Neytiri. Soon, the conflict on Pandora quickly escalates, putting the lives of many inhabitants at risk. Featuring stellar performances from Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, and CCH Pounder, the enthralling and adventurous tale of Jake and Neytiri unfolds in Pandora, which plays the role of an additional character, like previous installments.
Avatar: Fire and Ash Filming Locations
‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ was filmed simultaneously with ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in California, New Zealand, and Ukraine, particularly in Los Angeles County, Wellington, and Lviv Oblast. According to reports, principal photography for the third installment got underway in late September 2017 and wrapped up more than three years later in December 2020. In between, there were several delays in early 2020 due to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Los Angeles County, California
Many pivotal sequences for ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ were reportedly lensed across Los Angeles County. To be specific, its county seat, Los Angeles, served as one of the prominent production locations. Home to Hollywood, various parts of LA and LA County were turned into film sets. For instance, the filming unit set up camp at MBS Media Campus at 1600 Rosecrans Avenue in the oceanfront community of Manhattan Beach. Also known as Manhattan Beach Studios, the film studio is home to 15 sound stages spread across 385,000 square feet, ample office and support space, Production Resource Center, Onsite parking, Onsite lighting and grip equipment rentals, and a backlot with New York Street, making it an ideal filming destination for all kinds of projects.
The production team also made the most of another film studio, Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, at 4000 Warner Boulevard in the city of Burbank. Spread across 110 acres, it offers 31 sound stages of different sizes, a total of 11 exterior sets, production-related rental and service departments, and more. Many of its amenities and sets were utilized by the makers of the third part of the ‘Avatar’ franchise to bring the universe of Pandora to life.
Wellington, New Zealand
A significant chunk of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ was also shot in and around the capital of New Zealand — Wellington. Expanding the world of Pandora, the filming unit also made the most of the facilities of Stone Street Studios at 1 Stone Street in Wellington’s Miramar suburb. Home to four purpose-built sound stages, the film studio also provides other necessary amenities, such as a paint shop and construction warehouse, production offices, wardrobe and makeup rooms, and an expansive backlot space.
After receiving approval to shoot the film in New Zealand, James Cameron and the rest of the cast and crew were granted entry into the country through a special visa category. However, all the 55 crew members had to complete a 2-week government-supervised isolation period at a hotel because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the ‘Avatar’ franchise, Wellington has hosted the production of numerous movies and TV shows over the years, including ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes,’ ‘Mortal Engines,’ ‘Black Sheep,’ ‘Love and Time Travel,’ ‘Power Rangers DinoThunder,’ and ‘The Tribe.’
Lviv Oblast, Ukraine
For shooting purposes, the filming unit of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ also traveled all the way to Lviv Oblast, located in western Ukraine. To be specific, the cities of Lviv and Yavoriv served as a couple of pivotal production locations. Given the several natural landscapes in the region, Lviv Oblast served as an ideal backdrop for many key portions of the sci-fi drama.
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