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Credit: NetflixNetflix’s recently released live-action series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, has already been met with disappointing reviews and it seems as though Avatar Studios is desperately trying to cover up the failed series with its recent announcement.
The Netflix show is based on the 2005 Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which had three seasons, as well as the spinoff series The Legend of Korra, and is still beloved by many fans to this day. This isn’t the first time a live-action adaptation of the show has been attempted, as director M. Night Shyamalan attempted a live-action movie back in 2010. Unfortunately, it was also severely disappointing for fans, with many outright pretending it doesn’t exist.
Anticipation for a series adaptation of the animation was high, with fans hoping that a series and several seasons would allow the studio more time to work with the material. However, doubt started to trickle in in 2020 when it was confirmed that Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konieztko, the creators of the original show, had left the Netflix production, citing creating differences.
In the weeks leading up to the release of Season 1, various details and information were released, causing speculation and worry about what fans could expect. There was outrage and disappointment over several key elements being decidedly ignored for the live-action, and support for DiMartino and Konieztko started to spread. The season was released on Netflix earlier this week, and while responses have been mixed, they seem to mostly border on apathetic to downright outraged.
Critic reviews are much the same, with USA Today writing “Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ is a failure in every way,” The Verge saying it’s “everything that’s disappointing about Netflix’s live-action cartoon shows,” and The New York Times offering a middling review, saying, “Even at its best, the show just serves as a reminder that a much better “Avatar” already exists.” Now, Avatar Studios is reminding fans about an all-new animated project coming next year, perhaps in a desperate attempt to direct attention away from the failing Netflix series.
Back in 2021, Paramount+ announced the creation of Avatar Studios, a division of the studio that would focus on creating more stories set within the Avatar universe, which would be fronted by the original creators, DiMartin and Konieztko. In 2022 it was confirmed that the first project was underway with the reveal of a new feature-length animated film that would bring the original Gaang back, including Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph, focusing on their lives as young adults in their 20s to 30s.
The story of ‘AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER’ will continue in a new animated film releasing in October 2025.
Follows Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko & Toph all in their late 20s to early 30s pic.twitter.com/c6RNiOQPRr
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 22, 2024
Early last year, the Avatar team revealed a release date of October 10, 2025, which was met with much excitement and anticipation, as fans have been waiting for a follow-up series for over a decade. While the news of the movie’s release isn’t new, it’s being recirculated on social media, with many hearing about it for the first time. It’s entirely possible that the reminder about the animated movie serves as a distraction from the Netflix series, with the studio hoping that the promise of the project will soften the blows of the live-action. One comment asked, “Was it planned all along. What if giving us garbage first, was to hype us up for this more.”
While it’s unlikely Netflix intended to spend over $120 million on a live-action adaptation just for it to fail, the reminder does seem strategically well-timed. For now though, fans can rewatch the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender on Paramount+, followed by Season 1 of the live-action now streaming on Netflix, before the film is released next October.
Have you seen the Netflix adaptation yet? What did you think of it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!