How Is 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Nominated for a Golden Globes 2026 Award Even Before Release?

Published 12/08/2025, 11:12 AM EST

Pandora may be distant from Earth, but it appears not far enough to miss the Golden Globes. While the world’s attention focused on its welcome, the Avatar universe has quietly slipped into a chosen, or rather, nominated state. As under-the-radar Avatar: Fire and Ash has been up until now, how has the foreign planet's melody already rippled the Earth's surface, one may ask?

Despite having to face off against K-pop firecrackers and Wicked witches, how has Avatar: Fire and Ash joined a global jam session, one so golden at that, before any of its inhabitants did?

Avatar: Fire and Ash take Pandora to the Golden Globes

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'Dream as One' from Avatar: Fire and Ash received a nomination for Best Original Song on December 8, 2024, courtesy of the Golden Globes. What has allowed this feat to be achieved is the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's consideration of unreleased films to enter the race if submitted within the eligibility calendar year.

Entries, however, must be submitted within ten days of screening or as early as possible for television formats, with voting members accessing the work through screeners or broadcasts. 

After everything, voters rank their top five choices, and nominations go to the five with the most votes, enabling films yet to be publicly released a fair chance at nomination. Pandora, diligent as ever, has hurtled past space and time and straight in line with these punctualities.

The Best Original Song category also features strong competitors. Alongside 'Dream as One,' the lineup includes Netflix's Spotify champion,  'Golden' by KPop Demon Hunters, a rising sensation with a dynamic sound.

'I Lied to You' from Sinners, which offers haunting lyrics; and 'No Place Like Home' and 'The Girl in the Bubble' from Wicked: For Good, each presenting compelling narratives. The soulful 'Train Dreams' rounds out this diverse and artistic competition, as per the Golden Globes.

Where & How to Watch 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' - Everything to Know Before It Blazes Into Screens

Cue the strings: behind 'Dream as One' lurks a Cyrus-powered powerhouse that could make even Na'vi ears perk up across the galaxy.

Avatar: Fire and Ash carries the Na'vi legacy to the globes

The nominated song, performed by Miley Cyrus and co-written with Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Simon Franglen, blends piano, strings, percussion, and guitar with emotive vocals. The Avatar franchise has a musical legacy initiated by James Horner's 2009 original score, which earned a Golden Globe nomination.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash, the franchise maintains its reputation for immersive, orchestral soundscapes that deepen the cinematic experience, as seen in successive film scores.

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This nomination has shined light on the Golden Globes' commitment to honoring artistic achievement regardless of release status. As Pandora prepares for its next cinematic journey, which has already reckoned a crack in the continuum, excitement builds not only for the visual spectacle but also for the compelling musical storytelling that enriches the Avatar saga.

'Avatar Fire and Ash': How Many Movies Are There in the First Saga? How Many Sagas Will James Cameron Release?

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What do you think of Pandora's musical entree into the Golden Globes? Let us know in the comments below!

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Adiba Nizami

974 articles

Adiba Nizami is a journalist at Netflix Junkie. Covering the Hollywood beat with a voice both sharp and stylish, she blends factual precision with a flair for wit. Her pieces often dissect celebrity narratives—both on-screen and off—through parasocial nuance and cultural relevance.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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