Prior efforts to adapt Avatar: The Last Airbender into live-action haven't quite met fan expectations. However, with Netflix now at the helm, there's new hope. We've got all the info you could possibly need about Netflix's Avatar adventure, including the possible release date, cast & even more (meaning: drama!)
Netflix's live-action take on Avatar: The Last Airbender has fans on edge. But given Netflix's recent success with adaptations such as One Piece, fans are getting their hopes up again (and perhaps we can finally move past the 2010 M. Night Shyamalan film hiccup).
Avatar: The Last Airbender is set in a world torn apart by war that can only be saved by the Avatar, master of all four elements. The problem is, this legendary Avatar is a young boy named Aang (the last airbender alive) who has been trapped in an iceberg for one hundred years. After awakening from his deep slumber, he teams up with the siblings Katara and Sokka to master every element and free the world from the oppressive Fire Nation.
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the series has rightfully claimed its position as one of the best animated shows ever made! With the enormous responsibility of its adaptation now on Netflix's shoulders, the anticipation is palpable. Dive into this article as we reveal the eagerly awaited release date for this rejuvenated rendition of the cherished epic!
The original series was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is widely regarded as one of the best animated shows ever made. With the hefty task of adapting this beloved franchise, Netflix is under a lot of pressure. If you want to read more about the upcoming Netflix adaptation, here is everything we know about the show so far, including a leak of the release date, as well as information about the cast, plot and more.
Avatar: The Last Airbender On Netflix | What Can We Expect For The Release Date
Netflix has remained tight-lipped about a specific release date, other than the teaser announcement, so officially it's just "2024". Regrettably, they missed an opportunity to include a snippet of Katara's narration in their teaser.
2024 feels pretty far away, but luckily for fans @AvatarNews_ has been doing God's work and is keeping fans informed on the matter. They claimed that Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender releases in February 2024 according to leaks.
Breaking: Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender is coming in February 2024 pic.twitter.com/LhEMmXOigv
— Avatar News (@AvatarNews_) September 2, 2023
The news should maybe be taken with a grain of salt, but this source has been pretty accurate in the past, so here's to hoping! There still are other things about the show we actually know for sure: the cast, for example.
Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix | Cast
Like the nightmarish movie by Shyamalan, the Netflix adaptation will cover the events of Book 1: Water, meaning some beloved characters won't come to the streaming platform just yet. There are lots of others to look forward to, though, and then some. Here's the main cast:
- Gordon Cormier as Aang
- Kiawentiio as Katara
- Ian Ousley as Sokka
- Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko
- Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh
- Maria Zhang as Suki
Interestingly enough, they have cast Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari. If you're a fan of the original, you'll know that there is no Yukari. Surprise: it's Suki's never before seen mother that will play a major role in the upcoming show, featured in ten out of ten episodes (according to IMDb).
Key players of the Fire Nation will also get into the game way earlier: Azula already makes her debut at Netflix, General Zhao is supposed to get more screentime and in contrast to the original, Netflix shows the Firelord in the very first season.
THE FIRE NATION HAS ARRIVED Meet Fire Lord Ozai, General Iroh, Princess Azula and Commander Zhao in Avatar: The Last Airbender, coming in 2024. pic.twitter.com/qx3QDhocGz
— Netflix (@netflix) October 17, 2023
It's pretty safe to say that the adaptation will take its creative liberties with the source material. While that may be great news to fans of Suki, this could also upset parts of the fanbase that just want an accurate, live-action adaptation of the original.
And that's not the only way the Netflix adaptation made upset fans: the casting of Ian Ousley as Sokka has been a whole mess of its own. You can read up on the drama right here.
Neither Of The Original Creators Are On The Netflix Team
Not to be pessimistic here, but there's another tough pill to swallow. Originally, Netflix announced that the original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko would be the executive producers and showrunners for the "reimagined" live-action adaptation.
That didn't work out due to creative differences and both Konietzko and DiMartino departed with the Netflix show. In an open letter to fans, DiMartino addressed the issues and to be honest, his words don't really spark much hope:
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be good. It might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying. But what I can be certain about is that whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.
It's always a bad sign if an adaptation is so far away from the source material that the original creators decide to leave the production, but we won't hate on the show until we've seen it.
At this point, there's only two things left to do: wait for February 2024 to see for ourselves and rewatch the original ATLA until then.
Shopping Tip: You've seen the original, right? Ever wondered what happened to Zuko's mum? There are some pretty cool books about that. There's a ton of these books in fact: here's the complete series with 26 books!