News about Netflixâs live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender show stalled for some time after co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko announced they were jumping ship for Nickelodeonâs new Avatar Studios, which is also working on even more stories about elemental benders. For a time, it seemed as if the Netflix project might not happen, but today we learned thatâs not the case.
Netflixâs announced not only that its new take on The Last Airbender is still in production, but revealed the core cast and creative team behind the series. In a statement about the show, showrunner Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow) explained how heâd become a big fan of the franchise while watching it with his young daughter during its initial air on Nickelodeon. By the time Kim wound up being approached by Netflix about the show, the Avatar franchise had already become a phenomenon with an infamously terrible adaptation to its name. Despite Kimâs hesitation about trying to bring bending to life again, what ultimately pushed him to sign on was his belief that âVFX technology has advanced to the point where a live-action version can not only faithfully translate what had been done in animation â it can bring a rich new visual dimension to a fantastic world.â
He added, âWeâll be able to see bending in a real and visceral way weâve never seen before.â Of course, all the gorgeous VFX bending in the world means nothing without benders to actually perform it, and Netflix also announced the actors who will be portraying the kids that come to form Team Avatar. Gordon Cormier (Lost in Space, The Stand) is set to play Aang, the 12-year-old Avatar who was once lost to time. Kiawentiio (What If, Anne With an E), will portray teenaged waterbending prodigy Katara, and Ian Ousley (13 Reasons Why, Sorry For Your Loss) will play her older warrior-in-training brother, Sokka. In addition, the role of Zuko has gone to Dallas Liu (PEN15).
The new showâs cast of predominantly Asian and Indigenous actors immediately sets it apart from the animated Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, and M. Night Shyamalanâs feature film, all of which led with white actors to realize fictional worlds inspired by actual Asian and Indigenous cultures. In addition to Netflixâs format allowing for the expansion on narrative beats from the original series, Kim also emphasized how The Last Airbenderâs casting is a reflection of the creative teamâs desire to âestablish a new benchmark in representation and bring in a whole new generation of fansâ and to âshowcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people. Not just in a cartoon, but in a world that truly exists, very similar to the one we live in.â
â[T]hroughout this process, our byword has been âauthenticity,ââ Kim said. âTo the story. To the characters. To the cultural influences. Authenticity is what keeps us going, both in front of the camera and behind it, which is why weâve assembled a team unlike any seen beforeâa group of talented and passionate artists who are working around the clock to bring this rich and incredibly beautiful world to life.â
Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Aladdin), Lindsey Liberatore (Walker), Michael Goi (Swamp Thing, American Horror Story) will serve as Avatar: The Last Airbenderâs executive producers, with Goi, Roseanne Liang, and Jabbar Raisani also directing. Currently, thereâs no word on when Avatar: The Last Airbender is set to begin production, but watch this space for more news as it develops.
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