From Underwater Epics to Fat Paychecks: Avatar 3 Cast Salaries Revealed (Photo Credit – Wikipedia/Prime Video)
Advertisement
After three years, James Cameron has finally unveiled the first trailer for the highly anticipated third installment of his Avatar franchise—Avatar: Fire and Ash. The teaser has already gone viral, sparking massive excitement among fans and casual viewers alike. Promising heightened drama, intense action, and deeper emotional arcs, the film marks the return of original cast members Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet, while also introducing a few new faces to the saga.
One of the members is Oona Chaplin, who will be seen as Varang, the new villain in the third movie. Over the years, since 2009, the first Avatar movie, the OG actors have taken a hefty amount as their paycheck, so how much did they earn for the upcoming third installment? Scroll ahead to find out.
Sam Worthington
When Avatar was released in 2009, Sam Worthington made us believe that there can be a blue alien world, that there can be a Na’vi community. He put life into the fantasy character Jake Sully. Years later, in 2022, when Avatar: The Way of Water was released, Jake proved he can do anything, can go to any length to protect his community and the people that he loves. This film franchise put Worthington on the global map, and he earned that fame and recognition.
However, the actor got paid $10 million as his base salary in Avatar: The Way of Water. Later, when the film grossed over 2.3 billion, he had asked for 5% of the film’s profit, which made his total amount $110 million, as per GQ India. This only proves that with the continued success of the franchise, the actor’s salary, if not more, is expected to remain the same in Avatar: Fire and Ash.
Zoe Saldaña
Zoe Saldaña plays Neytiri in the Avatar franchise. She has been connected to the film franchise since the first movie. While for 2009’s Avatar, she earned $4 million, Zoe took home $8 million for the second film, Avatar: The Way of Water. Although how much she received from the film’s profit and backend deals is not publicly acknowledged, via Parade. Now, she is returning to reprise her role as Neytiri, fierce and brave, in Avatar: Fire and Ash. As Zoe Saldaña won an Oscar in 2025, her salary is expected to reach $8 million for the third installment.
Sigourney Weaver
James Cameron put Sigourney Weaver in the spotlight by casting her as Dr. Grace Augustine in Avatar. While her character was dead, the director resurrected the actor as a voice actor for the teenage character, Kiri, the adopted daughter of Jake and Neytiri, in the second film. Weaver will also be seen in the third film, Avatar: Fire and Ash. However, according to Collider, the actress earned $3.5 million for voicing Kiri. It is only expected that her salary will increase or remain the same for the third installment.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet entered this blue alien world with the second film, Avatar: The Way of Water. She plays Ronal, the matriarch of the Metkayina Clan. She is a fierce, skilled warrior and a kind-hearted tsahìk or shaman who opened her arms for Jake and Neytiri. Reportedly, Winslet earned $6 million for her role in the second installment of the Avatar franchise as her base salary, via Collider. Although we don’t know how much she might have received as her paycheck for the third film, given the production budget and her successful career, she might earn more than she did in the second film.
Stephen Lang returned as the ruthless villain, Colonel Miles Quaritch, in Avatar 2, and reportedly took home $2 million as his base salary from the film, according to Collider. While we don’t know for sure how important his character will be in Avatar: Fire and Ash, he is expected to earn something similar to what he did in the previous film.
Stephen Lang, Quaritch’s actor, said he was obsessed with his Avatars “trim waist” and honestly same dude pic.twitter.com/0IVFVN5NHq
Well, for those who don’t know, James Cameron took home a hefty amount of $95 million from Avatar: The Way of Water, as per Forbes. Now, as the third film is made with a budget of $250 million (via The Numbers), only time will tell how much the turnout will be at the worldwide box office.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit the theatres on December 19, 2025.
