One of the highlights at the recently concluded CineEurope 2025 in Barcelona was the presentation of footage from “Avatar: Fire and Ash” shown by Disney in both CINITY and 3D. Indeed, as anticipation builds for the December release of James Cameron’s latest film, Disney is calling on cinema operators worldwide to complete a critical technical survey that will determine how the film is delivered to theatres.
Speaking at the International Cinema Technology Association’s (ICTA) Barcelona Seminar Series, held just before CineEurope, Carly Brown, Director of Motion Picture Operations for The Walt Disney Company, outlined the studio’s operational roadmap for the third installment in the “Avatar” franchise. Brown emphasized to cinema operators that participation in the survey is essential for ensuring cinemas receive versions of the film compatible with their respective projection equipment.
The second film in the franchise, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” was released on 16 December 2022 and went on to earn USD $2.3 billion globally. With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” Brown says that Disney, naturally, is “making sure audiences experience it in the most immersive, high-quality way possible—on the big screen and in the right format for each location.”
To achieve that, Disney is once again planning an expansive release strategy akin to “The Way of Water,” with “Fire and Ash” expected in 2D and 3D, flat and scope aspect ratios, 24fps and 48fps high frame rate, and multiple 3D light levels. The scale of this technical variation demands precision and cooperation and to manage this complexity, Disney is collecting detailed screen data through a global survey — one that’s open to all cinema operators, from major chains to single-screen independents.
“This is a foundational step,” Brown said of the survey. “The data provided by cinemas will determine which DCPs (digital cinema packages) we create and where they’re delivered. If your screen specs aren’t submitted, we simply won’t be able to guarantee you’ll receive the optimal version for your setup.”
Unlike for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” when Disney relied on spreadsheets to gather data, this year’s survey is being managed digitally through two vendors: Motion Picture Solutions – MPS and Deluxe. This will enable broader participation and more accurate delivery.
For “The Way of Water,” Disney reportedly produced over 1,060 unique DCPs. Without accurate screen data, the number of possible permutations for “Fire and Ash” could easily balloon past 3,000 when factoring in picture formats, audio configurations, language versions, and differing projection specifications. That’s an unmanageable volume given the production and distribution window of most tentpole releases.
After final sound mixes and filmmaker approvals, it is quite common for effects-heavy movies to be completely locked only a month before release. For instance, “The Way of Water” arrived for distribution just 16 days prior to release. That leaves only a few weeks for distribution teams and content service providers to get big, globally released titles ready for versioning, quality control, press screenings and ultimately delivery to cinemas. And don’t forget about all those key delivery messages (KDMs) which also have to be created and distributed to theatres.
“We’re working on the assumption that we’ll again have just over two weeks to localize, master, and distribute more than 1,000 versions globally,” Brown said.
File sizes for the high frame rate 3D versions are massive — up to 600 GB per file — which makes efficient distribution all the more critical. “This survey allows us to send only the files a cinema needs, not every possible version,” Brown explained.
The survey closes at the end of June, after which Disney will analyze the data, determine which versions can be realistically produced, and finalize its delivery strategy in coordination with Lightstorm Entertainment. Final DCP planning is expected to run through the summer.
“We’re counting on the industry’s cooperation. This is about delivering the best possible version of ‘Avatar’ to your audiences—and we can’t do that without your input.”
“Avatar: Fire and Ash” is scheduled to premiere globally on 19 December 2025.
