Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel TV show Avatar: The Legend of Korra will release Netflix next month. In the mid-2000s, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko created Avatar: The Last Airbender, which premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005 and concluded at the end of season 3 in 2008. The world was then expanded with a sequel series, The Legend of Korra, which followed the next Avatar in the cycle, young waterbender Korra. It premiered in 2012 and ran for four seasons, concluding in 2014.
This year, the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender has seen a resurgence in popularity with the show's recent release on streaming. Avatar: The Last Airbender released on Netflix May 15, and viewers around the world were able to watch or rewatch the beloved animated series. It was disappointing to see that The Legend of Korra wasn't available to stream on the platform. Considering Netflix teamed with Konietzko and DiMartino on a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, it seemed only a matter of time before both animated shows were housed on the streamer. And now we know for sure The Legend of Korra will stream on Netflix - and soon.
Today, Netflix announced Avatar: The Legend of Korra will release Friday, August 14 in the U.S., with all four seasons available to stream. With this date, The Legend of Korra will hit the streaming service almost exactly three months after Last Airbender, ensuring viewers wouldn't have to wait too long to watch the other show set within the Avatar universe. Check out the announcement below.
As was the case when The Legend of Korra initially ran on Nickelodeon, its release on Netflix is sure to inspire debate about which series is better. Despite being set in the same universe and both created by DiMartino and Konietzko, The Legend of Korra is a slightly more serious show, which is natural as Korra is older than Aang is in The Last Airbender. That first show had plenty of goofiness and silliness as a result of its main hero being 13, whereas Korra is an older teenager and a markedly more serious character. Considering the Last Airbender vs Legend of Korra debate already sprang up when the original show premiered on Netflix, it's sure to continue on when the latter releases and more folks will get a chance to check it out.
That said, just because the shows are so different doesn't mean one is superior than the other - both have plenty of fans. Considering how beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender is, there are no doubt those who'd have preferred if a sequel series continued following Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko instead. But there are also folks who believe Legend of Korra is the better than Avatar: The Last Airbender. Their differences are a benefit since they allow The Legend of Korra to stand on its own and not feel like a complete retread of The Last Airbender. Still, it's unlikely Korra's release on Netflix will settle this debate once and for all, but at least it's another sign of Netflix's dedication to this universe and we can continue looking forward to the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender retelling Konietzko and DiMartino are currently working on.
Avatar: The Legend of Korra releases Friday, August 14 on Netflix.
Source: Netflix