James Cameron has pushed back strongly against the criticism surrounding Avatar: Fire and Ash, particularly the backlash over his continued use of 3D and high frame rate (HFR) technology.
The veteran filmmaker, 71, has faced scepticism from sections of the audience ever since Avatar: The Way of Water experimented extensively with 48 frames per second, a technique he has carried forward into Fire and Ash.
While traditional films are typically shown at 24 fps, Cameron believes the higher frame rate enhances realism and immersion rather than detracting from the viewing experience.
Responding to detractors, Cameron pointed to the overwhelming commercial success of the franchise.
“I think USD 2.3 billion at the box office suggests that argument doesn’t quite hold up,” he said in an interview with Discussing Film.
He acknowledged that citing numbers alone can sound authoritative but stressed that creative choices ultimately come down to the filmmaker.
“At the end of the day, I like it — and it’s my movie,” he added.
Beyond defending his technical decisions, Cameron also shared broader concerns about the state of cinema itself. He recently warned that the rapid rise of streaming platforms has fundamentally altered how audiences engage with films, resulting in what he described as a deeply difficult period for theatres.
“There’s no way to talk about what audiences want without addressing the decline of cinema,” Cameron told The Times, observing that streaming has begun to dominate cultural conversations around storytelling. He noted that the pandemic accelerated this shift, pushing viewers toward home-based entertainment.
According to Cameron, this change has raised the bar for theatrical releases.
“When people go to a cinema now, they want something so far outside the norm that it’s worth hiring a babysitter,” he explained, adding that spectacle-driven films like Avatar are designed precisely for that purpose.
While he believes the Avatar series will continue to draw audiences, Cameron admitted he is troubled by the industry’s overall trajectory. Reflecting on recent box-office trends, he said the film business is emerging from “a tragic year at the cinema”, even as he remains hopeful that bold, unconventional filmmaking can still lure audiences back to theatres.