Bauer Media’s Empire, one of the world’s biggest movie magazines, has announced it has achieved an exclusive unprecedented in the magazine’s history, for one of 2025’s biggest films, Avatar: Fire And Ash. Empire says its Editor Nick de Semlyen spent two days in Wellington, New Zealand, shadowing film director James Cameron, getting to see first-hand how he crafts his sci-fi epics, as he put the finishing touches to his most ambitious movie yet.
Empire’s new issue (out Thursday) gives readers a behind-the-scenes taste of what’s to come in the year’s blockbuster, set for release this December. Avatar: Fire And Ash features on the front cover, unveiling new Na’vi villain Varang (played by Oona Chaplin), wreathed in flames. Inside, beyond a deep-dive interview with Cameron, Empire talks to Chaplin about Varang‘s dark backstory, as well as fellow cast member Sam Worthington about the challenges awaiting his character Jake Sully. The publisher says the issue is packed with 12 pages of never-before-seen imagery – revealing new characters, new landscapes and shots from behind the scenes.
Nick de Semlyen, editor of Empire, said: “Avatar is the most successful movie in cinema history. Its first sequel isn’t far behind. And so to mark the return of the King of the World, James Cameron, with threequel Fire And Ash, we decided to pull out all the stops: pitching him an early cover story that would pull back the curtain on his mind-bogglingly cutting-edge process, finding out how he creates those visuals and manages to pull on our heartstrings too.
“The results outdid even our wildest expectations. We got to stay by his side for two days as he inspected VFX shots, demoed his unique virtual-camera rig, and revealed plans for the future of his sci-fi juggernaut. We came away with candid info galore – who knew that he gets up at 5am to kickbox, or that he was taught how to bowl by Gene Simmons from KISS? - and a deeper appreciation of his astonishing attention to detail.
“It’s a can’t-be-missed stellar exclusive that sets you up perfectly for this Christmas’ Fire And Ash, the most hotly awaited blockbuster of 2025.”
The new September issue is available on all newsstands on Thursday 31 July, or to purchase online from greatmagazines.co.uk, as standard and digital versions. Subscribers receive an exclusive cover, featuring art by award-winning Avatar: Fire And Ash concept artist Dylan Cole of Varang and her Ash warriors. Avatar: Fire And Ash comes to UK cinemas from 19 December.
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