Nickelodeon’s Avatar: the Last Airbender is a popular children’s show that was released in 2005. It takes place in a world that is composed of four different nations that each control a different element– fire, earth, water, and air. The avatar is someone who can control all 4 elements that serves as a peacekeeper between the four nations and the spirit world. They also are reincarnated every generation into a different nation. The show follows the adventures of Aang, a 12 year old boy, and his journey in becoming the next avatar.
Netflix announced a live action remake of Avatar: the Last Airbender in 2018. The expected release date, 2024, was announced at Netflix Tudum (a festival that previews the films and shows that will release on Netflix in the upcoming year) 2023 this past summer.
Since the original cartoon’s release, many fans have drifted away from the franchise. In 2020 the cartoon was released on Netflix, and the show quickly regained popularity, reigniting many fans’ passion for the show. Fans quickly learned about the live action remake, but were disappointed when they realized casting for the new series hadn’t begun yet.
The news that original creators of the show (Michael Dante DiMartiono and Bryan Konietzko) would help produce the show left fans ecstatic. According to What’s on Netflix, the original creators left the project in mid 2020. This caused a lot of suspicion and fear that this new live-action project would go up in flames.
Fans’ spirits were soon uplifted in August 2021, when the caste list was released. According to Economic Times, Gordon Cormier will star as Aang, Katara will be played by Kiawentiio Tarbell, Sokka will be played Ian Ously, and Zuko will be played by Dallas Lui he The cast looked pretty promising, since they all closely resembled their animated counterparts. The filming for season 1 was concluded in June 2022.
According to What’s On Netflix, the show will have 8 hour-long episodes in the first season. While there have been bumps along the way, Netflix has reportedly spent $120 million on season 1, which is very promising.
According to What’s On Netflix, they have also used groundbreaking innovative LED stage technology in the filming, which earned them a Guinness World record for the biggest LED stage in the world. This LED stage will enhance special effects and make the show feel more immersive to viewers.
There have been rumors that Netflix has begun filming seasons 2 and 3 as well. According to What’s on Netflix, Paramount and Avatar Studios are also expected to produce 3 new Avatar animated movies by 2026.
