The Last Airbender, originally a beloved animated series, was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It aired from 2005 to 2008 and became a cultural phenomenon. The show follows the adventures of Aang, the eponymous Avatar and the last survivor of the Air Nomads. The story takes place in a world where certain individuals, known as benders, can control one of the four elements – water, earth, fire, and air. Aang embarks on a quest to master all four elements and restore balance to the world, while being pursued by the Fire Nation, seeking to control the other nations.
The original series beautifully weaved elements of fantasy, action, humor, and complex character development. In 2024, Netflix has great plans to revive and reimagine the beloved series with a new live-action adaptation entitled Avatar: The Last Airbender. This revamped series will delve deeper into the expansive Avatar world, providing fans with fresh perspectives, breathtaking visual effects, and a compelling storytelling. So, as a new official trailer lands, let’s break it down and divulge everything we know about Avatar: The Last Airbender so far.
Breaking Down the Trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender
Hitting us with epic fire bending, the iconic sky bison, and the Blue Spirit, the latest trailer for Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series is packed full of thrilling action and offers us glimpses of all four kinds of bending that the teaser trailer did not unveil. As a relatively unknown talent, the trailer showcases that Gordon Cormier has got the chops to forefront a ten-part series, a major boost from his background in smaller roles. What’s more, although the story is set to be remixed and reimagined, the heart of the original series is very much present in the trailer. However, eagle eyed fans will notice one major character missing from the trailer – the character of Toph. Yet, it’s worth mentioning that she didn’t appear in the original cartoon series until the second season, so if there is a season 2, she will likely appear then.
What Is the Plot of the Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender?
It was first announced that Avatar: The Last Airbender would be getting a live action adaptation in 2018. Although it quickly became a much-anticipated project, it faced many delays and hurdles, the main one being the departure of original writers and creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. However, it is still a project that is causing a lot of buzz in Hollywood, especially seeing as M. Night Shyamalan‘s 2010 film adaptation was both a critical and box office failure. Many would argue that this failure was a result of confusion around the material, seeing as James Cameron‘s Avatar came out the year before. Of course, the two aren’t connected whatsoever, and mainstream audiences are now wise to that. So, this gives Netflix a chance to shine with their live action TV adaptation. But what is the story this time around?
Avatar: The Last Airbender will focus on the central character, Aang, the last surviving Airbender and the Avatar who shoulders the weight of the world, burdened with the task of saving humanity from the Fire Nation’s tyrannical rule. However, he will be aided by his friends in his epic fight fight of defeating the Fire-Nation. Given that showrunner Albert Kim has expressed his intention to uphold authenticity, it is anticipated that the live-action adaptation will stay faithful to its source material. When speaking on the matter of the material, he said: “I didn’t want to change things for the sake of change. I didn’t want to modernize the story, or twist it to fit current trends. Aang is not going to be a gritty antihero. Katara is not going to get curtain bangs.” However, to delve further into the series’ story elements, we’ll need to dissect the new official trailer.
Who Stars in Avatar: The Last Airbender?
At the centre of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as seen in the trailer, is the talented young rising star, Gordon Cormier, who will be playing the iconic Aang. This will mark his first leading role after smaller roles in TV shows like The Stand, Lost in Space and Turner & Hooch. In terms of the supporting cast, the fresh-faced star is accompanied by a mix of rising stars and industry veterans, including Ian Ousley as Sokka, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, Elizabeth Yu as Yazula and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as General Iroh.
When Will Avatar: The Last Airbender Be Released?
Avatar: The Last Airbender will land on Netflix on February 22, 2024. The series will comprise of 10 episodes, with all 10 being available to stream on the day of release. The episodes will each be helmed by different directors, including Michael Goi (Big Sky, Swamp Thing), Jabbar Raisani (Lost in Space), Roseanne Liang (Friday Night Bites), and Jet Wilkinson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians). However, while wait for the live-action, you can catch up with the original animated series on Netflix.
