James Cameron has risen from the depths of post-production on his Avatar franchise to give an update on the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash. Weve got some really clever action set-pieces, he told Empire. You can get your blood up in this movie. But what excites me as an artist who recently turned 70 and has kind of done all that stuff is not only the opportunity to get to do it again, but to get to a level of character and intrigue you havent seen before in an Avatar movie. He continued. Were just starting to riff on it and twist it and turn it, Cameron promised. Its a tricky thing if youre not making brave choices, youre wasting everybodys time and money. That alone is not sufficient to create success, but its necessary. Youve got to break the [mold] every fricking time. And thats got us all in to continue to watch the master bring us another visually stunning chapter from the world of Avatarto life. Game of Thrones Oona Chaplin is featured as a new antagonistic force as the head of the Ash Clan, and Cameron spoke about the character elsewhere in his chat with Empire. Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. Shes hardened by that, he said. She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil, 20th Century/Empire Magazine Were trying to evolve beyond the all humans are bad, all Navi are good paradigm, Cameron said. He praised Chaplins take on the character, which he hopes brings more of dynamic look to the conflicts within the world of Pandora. Shes an enemy, an adversarial character, he said, adding that Chaplins performance makes her feel so real and alive.The new look exclusively presented through the magazine showcased the films vibe and gave a sense of what Cameron is going for with the return of the Windtraders. Theyre nomadic traders, equivalent to the camel caravans of the Spice Road back in the Middle Ages, he described. And you know, theyre just fun. Like all Navi, they live in a symbiosis with their creatures. He also teased, If youve got any nautical blood in your veins, youll want to be on [their] ship. 20th Century/Empire Magazine Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters December 19. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.