Netflix unveils the cast for the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender and reveals Sleepy Hollow alum Albert Kim as the new showrunner. Originally created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon, the series is set in an Asiatic world divided into the regions of the Fire Nation, Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads, all based on the powers the inhabitants possess. The story focuses on Aang, the 12-year-old reincarnation of the titular being who must journey with a group of friends through the world to put an end to the Fire Nation's tyrannical war and restore harmony.
Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a cultural phenomenon since its 2005 debut, scoring rave reviews from critics and expanding into a larger franchise including comic books, a set of prequel novels and M. Night Shyamalan's thoroughly panned live-action film. A live-action series adaptation has been in the works at Netflix since 2018 with DiMartino and Konietzko initially set to continue their positions of executive producers and showrunners, however the duo would depart last year over creative differences. After courting Kim to take over the position earlier this year, it appears development is back on track for the series.
A year to the date after DiMartino and Konietzko announced their departure, Netflix has taken to Twitter to reveal the main cast for its live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, with Gordon Cormier portraying Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka and Dallas Liu as Zuko. The announcement came paired with a statement from Kim expressing his anticipation for bringing the series to life and the efforts taken to ensure an authentic adaptation and proper casting. Check out the announcement and statement below:
The road to bringing a live-action adaptation of the series to Netflix has certainly proved to be a bumpy one, but all signs are pointing towards development finally being on the right track. Word had been swirling that production on Avatar: The Last Airbender would get underway in November and conclude in May 2022 and the announcement of the four leads being cast seems to indicate some truth in this timetable. Though some may still be hesitant for the project as a whole, the latest bit of news should prove an exciting or enticing step forward for those curious how it could turn out.
The cast of primarily fresh faces in Avatar: The Last Airbender not only shows a willingness to offer some rising actors the chance for stardom but also an effort to put together a cast of more racially appropriate performers. With showrunner Kim promising to not only remain authentic to the source work but also deliver plenty of surprises for both existing and new fans, opinion on the new adaptation should very well begin to swing from negative to intrigued. Only time will tell if the series can appease longtime fans of the universe or further distance them.
Source: Netflix