Filmmaker James Cameron has stated in an interview with Variety that his upcoming film Avatar: Fire and Ash will have a runtime of about 3 hours. Thus, the third installment in the franchise appears to have a similar length to its predecessor, Avatar: The Way of Water, which was also famously long.

The director revealed that several scenes have recently been rewritten and re-shot, including moments featuring Jake and the Toruk. "And we are sitting at 3 hours, big surprise! But it works beautifully," Cameron noted. Although it is known that the director continues to tweak his films late into the post-production process, the runtime seems to be set for now.

Credits

According to Variety, it is unclear whether the 3-hour runtime he mentioned also includes the credits. In many cases, directors refer to the length of the film itself during the production process, excluding the credits. Especially for large-scale productions like Avatar, these typically take an additional 10 to 12 minutes.

With a runtime of approximately 180 minutes, Fire and Ash is close to Avatar: The Way of Water, which ran for a total of 3 hours and 12 minutes. The original from 2009 was shorter at 162 minutes.

"No Good Film Is Too Long"

Cameron is known for refining his films until the very last moment, so the final number of minutes may still vary slightly. However, his statement gives a clear picture of what viewers can expect in terms of length. As film critic Roger Ebert once stated: "No good film is too long, and no bad film is short enough."

It's astonishing to see how a hate campaign by a single individual can damage a company like Netflix, causing not only a drop in its popularity but even a fall in its stock value.

But that is the power of Elon Musk, the notorious tech billionaire and owner of Tesla and X. The slogan 'Cancel Netflix' already existed. However, the slogan's recent resurgence across social media is being driven by him.

Ongoing Hate Campaign

This began after he took issue with the series Dead End Paranormal Park from 2023, which features a transgender character. It doesn't matter that the series has been canceled. Elon Musk has an aversion to transgender individuals - his daughter is transgender, so Netflix must be punished.

He tweeted on his social media platform X alongside a clip from the series: "This is not okay. Cancel Netflix for your children's health." He did not stop there. He even posted proof of his canceled subscription and continues to promote the boycott.

More At Play

He is also starting to attack other films and series that depict transgender characters. And it's true: the 'Cancel Netflix' slogan is indeed gaining traction worldwide.



This action seems a bit strange, especially since other streaming platforms also feature transgender content. In a YouTube video by Tom Bilyeu, he suggests that recent acquisitions by Elon Musk and his friends might be part of a larger agenda.

Netflix is opening its wallet for The Witcher. The fourth season of the fantasy series is turning out to be the most expensive season yet, even surpassing the budgets of other major Netflix hits. According to new figures from Redanian Intelligence, the total production cost was over 221 million dollars, more than Wednesday and almost equal to Stranger Things.

The high costs come at a time when the series itself is facing a significant change. Henry Cavill, who played Geralt of Rivia for three seasons, has been replaced by Liam Hemsworth. Seasons four and five are being filmed back to back, adapting the last books from Andrzej Sapkowski’s series: Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and Lady of the Lake. Season five will also mark the end of the series, although several spin-offs are in development.

A Record Amount For Fantasy

According to the figures, The Witcher season four costs about 27 million dollars per episode. This puts the series well ahead of Wednesday (20 million per episode) and Squid Game (around 70 million total). Only Stranger Things season four was slightly more expensive, costing 270 million. Counting all seasons and spin-offs, Netflix has now invested nearly 900 million dollars in the Witcher universe.

The astronomical spending is largely attributed to large-scale visual effects, international locations, and the extensive sets required for the epic fantasy world.

Fans Divided Over Geralt’s New Face

Despite the hefty price tag, fans are divided. The switch from Cavill to Hemsworth has not been received with enthusiasm everywhere. On social media, viewers complain that the series has “lost its soul,” while others hope that Hemsworth brings a new energy to the role. Expectations for his debut are high, especially with the pressure that comes with such a high-budget season.



Whether the investment pays off will soon be revealed. The Witcher season four premieres on October 30 on Netflix.

Apple TV+ may not be the largest streaming service in the Netherlands, but it regularly offers compelling films that are often exclusive to the platform. Below are the top three films from the movie chart.

1. The Lost Bus (2025)

Director: Paul Greengrass | Cast: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez

In November 2018, a devastating wildfire breaks out in Butte County, California. Driver Kevin McKay is behind the wheel of a school bus as the fire approaches. Together with a teacher and 23 children, he must navigate through intense heat, smoke, and dangerous conditions to bring everyone to safety.

2. All Of You (2024)

Director: William Bridges | Cast: Brett Goldstein, Imogen Poots, Jenna Coleman

In a near future, Laura undergoes a test designed to connect her with her soulmate, with her good friend Simon supporting her. While Laura begins to develop a relationship with her designated match, Simon slowly realizes that his feelings for her run deeper. Laura also grapples with hidden emotions, but the path fate chooses for them seems already mapped out.

3. Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

Director: Spike Lee | Cast: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera

In New York, a man has risen to become a prominent music mogul with his own record label and a keen eye for talent. He is then confronted with a moral dilemma: his driver's son has been kidnapped, and a ransom is demanded. As he struggles with his power, reputation, and accountability, he must find a way to do the right thing in a high-stakes situation.

Prior to its release, Steve was already regarded as a noteworthy film by Netflix standards, featuring Belgian director Tim Mielants and acclaimed actor Cillian Murphy. They recently delivered the beautiful drama Small Things Like These. Their new film premiered yesterday and has instantly secured the 9th spot on the Netflix Top 10.

The drama Steve is written by Max Porter (based on his own novella Shy) and directed by Mielants, also known for the war film WIL. Netflix describes the film with the keywords Dark, Intimate, and Drama. The main cast features Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo, and Emily Watson.

Strong Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score of 75 percent, based on 73 reviews. The Critics’ Consensus reads: "A poignant drama that confronts its determined protagonist with a torrent of problems. Although the pile-up of crises can strain credulity at times, Cillian Murphy’s masterclass performance keeps the story firmly grounded."

Currently, the IMDb rating stands at 6.8 based on nearly two thousand votes.

Available Now

If you want to watch Steve, you can stream the film now on Netflix.



The synopsis: Set over the course of one intense day in the 90s, Steve, head of a "last-chance" reform school, grapples with both the looming closure of his institution and his own mental struggles. At the same time, young student Shy faces his inner battle between self-destruction and hope, as his surroundings force him to make choices.

For his role in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, actor Charlie Hunnam went to great lengths. While even the show's research team found nothing, he managed to track down rare recordings of serial killer Ed Gein. Gein's crimes famously inspired film classics like Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. Hunnam used the recordings to fully immerse himself in the mind of the notorious criminal.

During the third season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology series, Hunnam takes on the role of the eerie grave robber. In an interview with Screen Rant, he revealed how after countless phone calls and emails, he found the audio files he had heard about in a documentary. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” said Hunnam, who discovered the tapes through the Amazon documentary Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein.

Forgotten Recordings From A Dusty Drawer

The actor discovered that the tapes had never been released at the time. They were recorded shortly after Gein's arrest, but according to Hunnam, they were deemed unusable because Gein was not read his Miranda rights and he was allegedly mistreated by a local officer. That officer turned out to be the son of one of his victims, Bernice Worden. The recordings subsequently disappeared into an archive for decades.

After weeks of searching, Hunnam eventually gained access through producer Joshua Kunau, who sent him an MP3 version. “He was incredibly generous,” said the actor, who was only allowed to listen to the material after signing a confidentiality agreement.

Always Working

The recordings helped Hunnam dive even deeper into his role. He confessed that he barely had time to relax during the intense filming schedule. “I consciously avoided decompressing. Not as a method, but simply because it’s impossible to step back when you have to stay constantly focused. After days of fourteen or fifteen hours and then more hours of preparation, I remained immersed in it.”



Still, he looks back with satisfaction on the arduous production. “I love a challenge.” Watch the sensational series now on Netflix!