The Last Airbender was one of the first North American-made shows to take on the concept of serialized anime. The original anime series aired on Nickelodeon between 2005 and 2008 and, more than a decade later, it still retains a loyal fan following. It's actually surprising that a franchise with so much clout when it comes to anime and comic books doesn't have a lot of presence when it comes to live-action.

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There are a lot of mixed feelings out there about Netflix's upcoming live-action version of The Last Airbender. The live-action film of 2010 is infamous for being one of the worst movies ever made and fans are still smarting from the legacy it left in its wake.

The production over at Netflix presents a chance to reverse that trend, and even the most cynical fans are grasping for upcoming news of the series. Here's a quick summary of what we know about The Last Avatar according to Netflix.

Updated on August 10th, 2021, by Kristy Ambrose: There's a lot of excitement in the air about the upcoming adaptation along with some big news and promising updates, and we can't help but catch the fever in spite of ourselves. Production on the series has yet to begin but the process continues to evolve. We've added some updates to reflect the latest news on the Netflix version of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

When Will Production On the Series Begin?

split image, Aang cleansing his chakra, The Last Airbender
via: magicalrecipes.com

Despite the fact that talk of a live-action TLA series has been floating around for years, and Netflix has been committed to the project since 2018, production has yet to begin on the series. Originally the shooting was set to begin in 2019 but that didn't go as planned.

The change in schedule is due in some part to COVID restrictions. It's also because the original creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, left the project in 2020 over creative differences with the decision-makers at Netflix. However, despite some previous turmoil, the filming is on schedule to start in November of this year and should finish in May 2022.

When Is The Release Date?

Aang flying with his glider

There's no official word on a definitive date for the release yet, which isn't surprising since filming hasn't even started. However, this seems to be the most pressing question and fans are making guesses based on current production schedules.

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Presently we still have estimates, but now that casting for the main roles is done, the outlook is more optimistic for when filming can begin. Production will start on November 16, 2021 and is expected to finish in May of 2022. Fans can expect to see the first few episodes of Season One as early as later in 2022.

Rumored release date: 2022

Who Is The Director?

Avatar The Last Airbender Smite July Battle Pass
Avatar The Last Airbender Comes To Smite For July Battle Pass

There will likely be several directors working on the project eventually, but currently, only two are confirmed. Roseanne Liang has been confirmed as the director of an unknown number of episodes in Season One. She is known for her work on fantasy and science fiction projects and has won awards at both the Toronto Film Festival and in her home country of New Zealand.

It has also been confirmed that Michael Goi has been signed on for at least a season or two. Goi has been involved as a director and a cinematographer on shows like American Horror Story and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He's one of the first big names to be confirmed in the creative or production aspect of the project.

What Is The Plot Like?

Avatar The Last Airbender Roleplaying Game
via Nickelodeon

The live-action series is expected to follow the same episodic structure and storyline as the original series. Contrary to earlier rumors, the ages of the characters won't change in the live-action version. Whether or not it will follow the same plot exactly is yet to be seen, but we can expect to see the same first few episodes that feature Katara and Sokka's home as the setting.

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Other characters from the original series such as Zuko and the Kiyoshi Warriors have also been confirmed as part of the plot. The story will also start with the same premise of the Avatar being lost for a hundred years.

Is There Any News On The Cast?

netflix avatar cast questions Katara, Sokka,m Aang, Momo, and Appa on a wall

After months of speculation that was swirling around the actors who would take on the roles of Team Avatar, and the casting calls connected to the production, four of the main roles have recently been confirmed. Although some information is scant or missing at this early stage, we know that each actor is of indigenous or Asian descent, so it's a relief to see some of the most glaring mistakes the live-action film won't be repeated.

Gordon Cormier, as Aang

  • 12 years old, from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Filipino-Canadian
  • Previous work includes Lost in Space and The Stand on Paramount +.

Kiawentiio Tarbell, as Katara

  • 14 years old, from Akwesasne, Ontario, Canada
  • Indigenous North American, Mohawk
  • Previous work includes the CBC-Netflix production Anne With an E.
  • An alternate spelling of this actor's first name is Kiawenti:io, and you can also find her under the single name, Kiawentiio.

Ian Ousley, as Sokka

  • 19 years old
  • No further background information is available for Ian yet, but the casting call for Sokka specified an actor of North American Indigenous descent.

Dallas Liu, as Zuko

  • 19 years old, from Los Angeles, California
  • Chinese-Indonesian-American
  • Previous work includes Hulu’s PEN15 and he also has a role in the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings series from Marvel Studios.

Are The Original Creators Involved?

Avatar The Last Air Bender Katara touching Zuko's face
via: ign.com

The creators of the previous series, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, were originally recruited as showrunners and executive producers, but have since left to focus on their work at Avatar Studios. The composer of the much-heralded score, Jeremy Zuckerman, has recently joined their team. The studio currently has an ambitious plan in the works to expand on the universe they created with several movies and series, so expect to see some new materials from the original creators in the future.

Most of the staff that's been confirmed are names that are new to The Last Avatar but experienced in the world of serialized drama and animation. Albert Kim and Marc David Alpert, who worked on Nikita, are also working on the live-action version of The Last Airbender.

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