Netflix’s live-action adaptation TV series of Avatar: The Last Airbender remains going ahead but controversy surrounds it. In August 2020, the 2 original creators departed the project and since then, skepticism round the series has grown. Here’s everything we all know about Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action Netflix series including some exclusive new details.

Co-created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the animated series was one among the foremost popular cartoons of the mid-2000s. The series spawned an equally popular spin-off series in 2012 referred to as The Legend of Korra (both of which are streaming on Netflix within the majority of regions round the world).

The first season is about to be 10 episodes at an hour-long each.

What is the plot of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender?

The plot of the live-action remake will follow the adventures of its animated counterpart.

In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender civilization is split into four separate nations. Named after the weather , the four nations are the Air Nomads, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and therefore the Water Tribes. In each nation, only a get few people referred to as the “Benders” can use their nation’s element by using the regional martial arts and their telekinetic powers. the sole user capable of using all four elements is that the “Avatar”.

Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series – Picture: Nickelodeon

Aang is that the latest Avatar of the air nomads. After sleeping for 100 years within the ‘Avatar State’, Aang is awoken by Katara and Sokka of the Water Tribe. Learning of the war ravaging the planet by the hearth Nation, Aang with the assistance of his new friends must master the skills of the remaining elements so he can bring harmony amongst the nations.

Who is within the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender?

No cast members assigned to any roles for the series yet.

The two executive producers Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko had the subsequent to mention on casting for the series (before they departed):

“We’re thrilled for the chance to helm this live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. We can’t wait to understand Aang’s world as cinematically as we always imagined it to be, and with a culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed cast.”

In January 2020, Daniel Richtman posted that the series is “looking for a mostly Asian cast and a 12-14-year-old to play Aang.”

Dante Basco (who voiced Prince Zuko within the animated series) has also been pegged for a task within the upcoming Netflix series but won’t be returning as Prince Zuko.

TheIlluminerdi reported in February 2021 (although not confirmed) that Katara would be the older sibling in Netflix’s live-action remake at 16 with Sokka being 14 then reiterating that Aang would be around 12.

Who is involved Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix?

The most exciting news early within the project was that the first creators of the Nickelodeon series would be involved. That’s unlike the previous live adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender that released in 2010. Unfortunetely, the first creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko who were getting to function the chief producers and showrunners are not any longer doing so.

Composer Jeremy Zuckerman was also believed to be returning to compose the music for the live-action remake, however, in an interview, he says he’s not officially signed on for the project saying:

“No, there was never a contract. it had been a bit like “obviously you’re doing the music”, you know, but now that they’re not there, I don’t know what they’re gonna want. I’m not super pumped that they’re not gonna be there, so I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know what the longer term holds for that, it’s an enormous interrogation point . Yeah, sorry to not have a happier, more straightforward answer.”

The co-creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender Michael DiMartino (left) and Bryan Konietzko (right)

Jang Chol Lee will function an idea designer on the series consistent with IMDBPro together with his previous credits including Big Hero 6, Tangled, Cloudy with an opportunity of Meatballs, and Beowulf.

Dan Lin is listed as an executive producer alongside his company, Rideback. Rideback is liable for some huge movies (predominantly for Warner Brothers) including the Sherlock Holmes movies, the Lego Movies, and IT films.

Albert Kim is believed to be taking up the showrunner duties who is understood for performing on TNT’s Leverage and Nikita. additionally , Ryan Halprin and Lindsey Liberatore are listed as producers with Rideback Productions helming the project. Rideback recently sold off another project to Netflix within the sort of Parallel.

We can also report that Marc David Alpert was at one point producing the series too. Marc’s impressive credits span decades with him performing on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Lethal Weapon, and Nikita. Recent production listings we’ve seen omit his name.

IMDb also currently lists Ryan Halprin and Lindsey Liberatore as executive producers too.

As you’ll recall back in August 2020, we learned that the 2 original creators had departed the project over what’s thought to be creative differences.

In an letter , Michael Dante DiMartino penned his thoughts on their departure from the project.

The key paragraph is as follows (although the entire letter is worth reading):

“When Bryan and that i signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners. during a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it had been committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series. and that we expressed how excited we were for the chance to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as we had hoped.”

Bryan Konietzko also posted a press release on Instagram. Here are a number of the key highlights from the statement we’d wish to touch upon:

“Though I need to work with some great individuals, both on Netflix’s side and on our own small development team, the overall handling of the project created what I felt was a negative and unsupportive environment. “

Since their departure, the duo has announced they might be helming new animated projects over at Paramount+ within the Avatar universe under a replacement studio called Avatar Studios.

avatar studios
Since the departing creators, more criticism of Netflix’s vision for the series has materialized. As Winter is Coming reports, Dee Bradley Baker (who voiced Appa and Momo) didn’t mince his words about Netflix’s vision to essentially recreate the Nickelodeon series saying:

“I just don’t skills you fulfill that any better than this show did. I’m hospitable whatever they are doing with the live-action series, which i do know nothing about, but it’s like, ‘Well, how does one do that better than the way that it had been rendered on this show?’ I don’t skills you are doing that! I hope you’ll .”

michael goi netflix avatar director
Michael Goi

In June 2021, we’ve learned that Michael Goi is about to direct within the new Netflix series. Although yet to be officially confirmed, the accomplished cinematographer has worked previously on projects like American Horror Story, Swamp Thing, Mary and Megan is Missing.

Where is production up to for Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1?

It was originally reported back in late 2018 that full production would begin in 2019. However, two years later that didn’t happen for various reasons (one being the departure of the first creators and therefore the second being COVID-19).

The first release production update for the series came in late May 2019. Bryan Konietzko shared an update on the assembly of the show saying:

“We’re getting into a replacement office space, transitioning into subsequent phase of production. Our core team is growing. We’re writing, planning, and testing. Though there’s plenty that’s new for us during this live action process, we’ve been on this long rollercoaster ride twice before and tons of the climbs and twists and turns feel familiar. Right now, everything seems slow, and we’re itching to hurry up; before we all know it, everything are going to be moving too fast and happening all directly . For those that are wanting to see this new series and are asking if we’ve a trailer yet: many thanks for your enthusiasm, sincerely, but you wouldn’t want to ascertain a version of this series that was made within 9 months. an excessive amount of Hollywood fare is fast-tracked and therefore the results represent themselves. Thankfully for us and this series, Netflix is committed to doing it right.”

In September 2019, Bryan Konietzko shared some old storyboard pictures which are from the first animated series but maybe browsing them for inspiration for the upcoming series.

Storyboard picture for Avatar: The Last Airbender – Picture: bryankonietzko/Instagram

Among the opposite announced crew members include Jan Chol Lee who is functioning as an idea designer on the series. His previous roles have included performing on Disney’s Big Hero 6, 2006’s Beowulf, and Cloudy with an opportunity of Meatballs.

Some pictures were circulated in early September 2019 with concepts and early filming pictures but those have since been debunked.

In October 2019, ProductionWeekly stated that the show was still in active development, and production is scheduled to start out in 2020 (it’s unclear as of January 2021 whether this is often still the case).

In March 2020, Bryan shared alittle (and rather empty) update regarding the live-action series saying:

“In other news, pitying the shortage of updates on the live action adaptation of ATLA. It’s been a slow process, slower than expected. But VERY exciting things are within the works on the project… persevere there. We’ll share some info as soon as we will . 💙⬇️💙 But there are more important things happening within the world… it’s surely getting to be a rough ride for subsequent few months, at least. 💙 So, again, let’s all attempt to lookout .”

Of course, in August 2020 (see above) the first creators departed the series so production remains up within the air which we will assume means the assembly remains early .

Production will plow ahead in Vancouver, Canada and although has been listed to urge underway multiple times, it’s now believed through multiple sources that production is about to urge underway in November 2021 and run through April 2022.

The show is being filmed under the working title of ‘Trade Winds’.

When is that the release date for Avatar: The Last Airbender?

No word on this. Given the very fact the show isn’t thanks to start production until a minimum of November 2021, we’re expecting a late 2022 or maybe 2023 release date at now .

Before we leave you, we’d highly recommend following AvatarNews on Twitter and its website. they continue to be one among the simplest resources for news surrounding all things Avatar and even created this incredible concept poster art for the Netflix series: