Netflix has finally released its highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the beloved Nickelodeon animated series that follows the adventures of Aang, the young Avatar who can control all four elements.
The series, which consists of eight episodes, is available to stream globally starting from today, Feb. 22nd, 2024.
The live-action series is faithful to the original show, which aired from 2005 to 2008 and won multiple awards, including a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award.
The series is set in a world where four nations — Water, Earth, Fire, and Air — coexist in harmony, until the Fire Nation launches a war to conquer the other nations.
Aang, the last surviving airbender and the reincarnated Avatar, is awakened from a century-long slumber by Katara and Sokka, two siblings from the Southern Water Tribe. Together, they embark on a journey to help Aang master the four elements and stop the Fire Nation from destroying the world.
The live-action series features a diverse and talented cast of actors, including Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Zuko, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari, Maria Zhang as Suki, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh, and Elizabeth Yu as Azula.
The series is created by Albert Kim, who also serves as the showrunner and executive producer. Kim is joined by executive producers Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, and Michael Goi.
The original creators of the animated series, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, were also involved as consultants but later departed from its production.
Konietzko had written a post on Instagram years earlier saying,
“When Netflix brought me on board to run this series alongside Mike two years ago, they made a very public promise to support our vision. Unfortunately, there was no follow-through on that promise. Though I got to work with some great individuals…the general handling of the project created what I felt was a negative and unsupportive environment.”
The live-action series uses groundbreaking new LED technology while filming, which has earned it a Guinness World Record for the largest LED screen ever used for a TV production.
The LED screen creates realistic and immersive backgrounds for the scenes, such as the Southern Water Tribe, the Northern Air Temple, and the Fire Nation capital.
The series also showcases stunning visual effects and choreography for the bending arts, which are based on various forms of martial arts.
You can watch the trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender series below.
