Avatar: The Last Airbender – 10 Things We Know About The Live-Action Remake

The production of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action adaptation is beginning to gain momentum, with more and more details about the show being made available to fans. Having first been announced in 2018, Netflix’s live-action retelling of Team Avatar’s story has been in the works for some time now. Many fans will be hoping that the extensive production time will translate into a high-quality series.

The details that have emerged in recent weeks are certainly promising for fans of the Avatar franchise, with Netflix’s casting decisions, in particular, being very well-received by the fanbase.

10 The Plot Will Be Based Upon The Original Avatar: The Last Airbender Story

According to Netflix, the ATLA live-action series will be an “authentic adaptation” of the original animated show. The plot of Netflix’s ambitious adaptation will be heavily based upon the story depicted in the original series, following Team Avatar as they traverse the Four Nations in their endeavor to defeat the Fire Lord.

It is not known how rigidly Netflix will stick to the original story. However, the live-action adaptation is unlikely to be a shot-for-shot remake of the animated series, so fans should expect to see some minor deviations from the original show.

9 Full Production Began In November 2021

While there is no official release date yet, Netflix, via Deadline, has confirmed that the production of the ATLA live-action adaptation has finally begun. Netflix announced their procurement of a deal to bring ATLA back to the small screen in 2018, and production was initially scheduled to take place in the following year.

However, the show’s production was postponed until 2020 and then delayed further by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the bulk of the main cast and creative team confirmed, and the restrictions of the pandemic less prevalent, the show’s production has finally been able to commence this year.

8 The Casting For The Main Protagonists Has Been Confirmed

While the majority of the main cast has now been confirmed and is available on IMDb, the earliest confirmed casting decisions involved the series protagonists, with Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko all having been cast back in August 2021.

Netflix has been praised for their casting decisions thus far, mainly for their use of Asian actors that are of a similar age to the characters they are going to portray. Aang will be portrayed by Gordon Cormier (aged 12); Katara will be portrayed by Kiawentiio Tarbell (aged 15); Sokka will be portrayed by Ian Ousley (aged 19); Zuko will be portrayed by Dallas Liu (aged 20).

7 The Casting For Ozai, Iroh, Zhao, And Gyatso Has Been Confirmed

While the entire cast of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of ATLA is yet to be confirmed, the casting for a number of key roles has been released and is available to browse on IMDb. The roles of Fire Lord Ozai, Uncle Iroh, Commander Zhao, and Monk Gyatso have all been allocated to some very capable actors, which has inevitably provoked some excitement among the Avatar fanbase.

The jewel in Netflix’s shining crown of acting talent for the upcoming ATLA series is Daniel Dae Kim, who will be portraying the primary antagonist Fire Lord Ozai. The fan-favorite character from the original series, Uncle Iroh, will be portrayed by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Commander Zhao will be portrayed by Ken Leung, and Monk Gyatso will be portrayed by Kay Siu Lim.

6 Netflix Have Teamed Up With Pixomondo

Netflix has teamed up with special effects company Pixomondo, which certainly bodes well for fans. Pixomondo is an Academy and Emmy award-winning veteran of the special effects industry and is definitely capable of bringing the story of Team Avatar to life.

Pixomondo boasts an impressive portfolio of special effects work; their most notable projects include Hugo (2011), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Game of Thrones (2011-2019). The critical and commercial success of the live-action adaptation of ATLA will hinge upon the quality of the special effects, and Pixomondo is certainly qualified to take on the challenge.

5 The Initial Production And Filming Will Take Place In Vancouver, Canada

Netflix has begun its initial filming and production of the ATLA live-action adaptation in Vancouver, Canada. Courtesy of their production partners, Pixomondo, Netflix has access to an impressive, custom-built studio that has previously been used to shoot Disney’s The Mandalorian.

The Vancouver studio is one of the largest virtual production spaces in North America, boasting a 23,000 square foot stage area and 3000 LED panels. A well-equipped studio will certainly benefit the live-action ATLA series, which will be very reliant on special effects for some of the epic bending fights that will inevitably take place.

4 Albert Kim Is The Showrunner, Executive Producer, And Writer

Netflix has confirmed that Albert Kim will be helming the live-action retelling of the ATLA story. Kim is mainly known for his work on Sleepy Hollow (2013), Nikita (2010), and Leverage (2008), none of which bear many similarities to ATLA.

Nevertheless, not only is Kim an experienced writer and producer, but he is also passionate about Netflix’s ATLA project. In an open letter to Avatar fans, Kim explains that he fell in love with the show while watching it with his young daughter and argues that ATLA would benefit from a live-action retelling.

3 Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, And Michael Goi Are The Executive Producers

Netflix has confirmed the team of Executive Producers on the live-action ATLA project, which includes Rideback’s Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore, who between them have worked on projects such as The Lego Movie (2014), Sherlock Holmes (2009), and Walker (2021).

The third executive producer, Michael Goi, is best known for his work in American Horror Story (2011-2016) and Big Sky (2021). The Co-Executive Producer of Netflix’s ATLA series has also been confirmed, with Shadow in the Cloud (2020) director Roseanne Liang being given the role.

2 Michael Goi, Roseanne Liang, And Jabbar Raisani Are The Directors

Netflix has confirmed the three directors for the debut season of their live-action adaptation of ATLA, and they have an impressive portfolio of work between them. Michael Goi is both an Executive Producer and a Director for the upcoming ATLA series, so he is likely to have a significant influence on the final product.

Roseanne Liang has been confirmed as both a Co-Executive Producer and a Director for the series, while Jabbar Raisani’s only role is as a Director. As the Directors, these three are responsible for bringing the ATLA characters to life, and it is their duty to portray the best Avatar character arcs with the same vibrancy as the original series.

1 The Original Creators Of ATLA Are No Longer Involved

The masterminds behind the Avatar franchise, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, were originally at the helm of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of ATLA. However, according to NME, the pair parted ways with Netflix in 2020 due to creative differences.

It is unclear what the specific problems that led to DiMartino and Konietzko’s departure were. However, their days of creating Avatar content are far from over. The pair have recently created a branch of Nickelodeon called “Avatar Studios” and are currently working on their own movies and television shows that will be set within the Avatar universe.