Anticipation and trepidation for Avatar: The Last Airbender’s live-action Netflix series are both equally high. While the animated series is considered one of the best of all time, the last time a live-action adaptation was attempted, things went…well…horribly wrong.
The budget is reportedly huge, and it will be one of the most expensive television shows ever, which gives hope that it will have high production values. It’s using the same new technology as The Mandalorian, which cuts down on a lot of post-production time as well. Production started in November 2021, so there’s a chance that we’ll see the series premiere later this year.
The Cowboy Bebop live-action Netflix series was met with mixed reactions, and had a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has already been cancelled after one season. Regarding, The Last Airbender, Yvonne Chapman, who plays Kyoshi, recently told Everything Zen ExtraZ; “I can’t say very much for this project, but I will say, from what I’ve seen, and my experience on the show, the fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will not be disappointed with this live-action series. It looks phenomenal.”
Some high-profile members of the cast include two Lost actors – Daniel Dae Kim and Ken Leung. 12-year-old Gordon Cormier will be carrying a lot of pressure on his shoulders in the central role of Aang. Aang has the power to manipulate fire, air, water, and earth, and is destined to bring peace and order to the land.
The technology and production design will need to be be top-notch in order to fulfill the world building and visual representation of the powers that fans will be expecting. The acting and writing will also need to rise to meet the many complex themes of the series. In the animated series, battles were gorgeously rendered, characters were well-defined and nuanced, and it inspired a generation.
Well we wait for more news on when exactly we can expect Avatar: The Last Airbender, check out our guide to the best Netflix series.