Nickelodeon’s 2000s showAvatar: The Last Airbenderis widely regarded as one of themost beloved animated series in the world. The series has won many awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Kids' Choice Award, and five Annie Awards. The series is set in a world where people harness one of four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) and focuses on a young boy named Aang. As the “Avatar,” Aang has the destiny of mastering all four elements and bringing balance to a world ruled by the Fire Nation. His story has built an entire fandom, has brought people together, and has taught valuable lessons in an incredibly authentic and youthful way. In fact,Avatar: The Last Airbenderis such an outstanding masterpiece that, to this day, fans re-watch the show and even introduce it to the younger generation.
Netflix is set to bring the property to live-action. The live-action adaptation is coming up at full speed, with production reaching its end and the recording of the scores for the series recently taking place. This brand-new take on the animated series of the same name will be added to Netflix in 2024. There is massive potential for a live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderseries, but considering the impact the original show still has, it also comes with a lot of pressure and responsibility. Fans are concerned whether the new series will do its source materialjustice or if the series will join a list of failed live-action anime adaptations, especially afterM. Night Shyamalan’s movieflopped, critically and commercially. Here are reasons why Netflix’s live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderseries could succeed (and why it could fail).
Succeed: Great Source Material
Aang, Prince Zuko, Katara, Sokka, and Toph are amongNickelodeon’s greatest characters. Millions of fans have fallen in love with the world ofAvatar, its characters, and their stories. The animated series incorporated themes such as redemption and unity and also asked philosophical questions regarding free will and destiny. Some believed that it would be too complex for a children’s show, but the series never dumbed down its concepts while resonating with people of all ages. The series was so successful that it led toa sequel series inThe Legend of Korra.
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Netflix has so much rich mythology established in the animated series that they can pull from. If the Netflix production can keep the spirit ofAvatarintact, it could become an overwhelming success. The actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who portrays the beloved character Uncle Iroh in the live animation, even tried to reassure the fans of the original show since he stated thatthe heart of the original story and the wonderful connections between the characters will be seenin the upcoming series.
Fail: The Original Creators Left the Project
When the live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderseries was first announced, Netflix heavily promoted the involvement of the original series' creators. In 2018, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were signed on as showrunners and executive producers. In 2020, they announced theirexit from the projectdue to creative differences. The duo were initially excited to take part, but it seems they and Netflix did not part on the best of terms.
DiMartinorevealed in an open letterthat things did not go as they “had hoped.” He also expressed that while the show may be positively received, it does not represent what he and Knoietzko “envisioned or attempted to make.” Creative differences are not uncommon and do not necessarily serve as an indicator of the quality of the series. However, the significant steps that the creators took to distance themselves from the live-action series are a cause for concern.
Now, the original creators are developing their ownanimatedAvatar: The Last Airbendermovies, set in the continuity of the original series. Because of this, there will be two majorAvatar: The Last Airbenderprojects in the marketplace. While they could benefit one another, they will also be seen as in competition with one another, which will lead to some unfavorable comparisons.
Succeed: Not Connected to the 2010 Last Airbender Movie
The year 2010 saw the release of M. Night Shyamalan’s live-actionThe Last Airbendermovie, and it is safe to say that it hit theAvatarfandom hard. It was quickly panned by fans and critics since it essentially failed to bring any of the much-loved themes, relationships, and characters onto the screen. The film was nominated for several Golden Raspberry Awards and won Razzies for Worst Picture, “Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Eye-Gouging Mis-Use of 3D. Sequels to the films were initially planned, but the overwhelming negative response caused the studio to reconsider. A sequel failed to materialize, and the plans for the franchise were eventually canceled. To say that the 2010Last Airbenderfilm was a misfire is an understatement.
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Fortunately, Netflix’s live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderseries will not be connected to the 2010 film—news, which will probably result in a collective sigh of relief. The upcoming adaptation is a new series featuring a new cast and crew and is set in a newAvataruniverse. The successes of the animated series and the failures of the 2010 film have provided great reference points for the Netflix series. Hopefully, the creative team has learned from both and will get things right.
Fail: More of the Same
The biggest struggle the new live-actionAvatar: The Last Airbenderwill have to overcome is how it will justify its existence. Live-action remakes of popular animated projects are nothing new as the highest-grossing film of 2000 was the Academy Award-winningGladiatoror even the adaptation ofX-Men, but in fact, was Ron Howard’sHow The Grinch Stole Christmas, which many people closely associated with the classic Christmas special. People do love seeing something originally animated “brought to life” in live-action.
Disney has made adapting their animated classics into live-action part of their business modelfor the past decade, and it has been to mixed results. While the box office reaction tends to be exceptional, critical and fan reaction is dismissive as many times Disney does the same story over but in live-action.Avatar: The Last Airbenderis now tasked with bringing what fans loved about the original series to live-action but also needs to do enough different to justify being adapted in the first place. If it is just a copy of the original, why not watch the beloved animated series? Yet if it goes too far away from the original material, fans will be unhappy. It is a tightrope the series must walk.
Succeed: Authenticity to the Cultural Influences
Avatar: The Last Airbenderhas always pulled heavily from East-Asian and Inuit culture. The influences were very present in the world’s imagery and philosophy, and also referred to Chinese martial arts as the main inspiration behind the practice of the element “bending.” Bryan Konietzko, co-creator of the original series, expressed that the creative team was committed to “culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed casting.” Showrunner Albert Kim also recognized the importance ofauthenticity to the series' cultural influences, story, and characters. Kim shared;
This was a chance to showcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people. Not just in a cartoon, but in a world that truly exists, very similar to the one we live in.
Previously, the 2010Last Airbendermovie became the subject of significant controversy for failing to represent the show accurately and dismissing opportunities to cast Asian-Americans, which was a major reason why fans of the original series had and still have mixed feelings about the upcoming live adaptation. However, it seems as though at least the concern regarding the cast can be put to ease, considering that the newAvatar: The Last Airbenderdoes not onlyhighlight its culturally appropriate actors but also, finally, recreates the outstanding costumes of the original series in an authentic way.
Asian actors and creatives can bring their own unique perspectives and experiences to the series. It will allow for greater representation so audiences can see themselves reflected in these stories. Even the original, for as great as it was, did feature many white actors voicing these characters. Now, Asian actors and creatives get a hand in guiding the story that borrows from their culture.
