The Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action Netflix series has found its four main series leads.
Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, and Dallas Liu all joined the series. Cormier will star as Aang, with Kiawentiio set to play Katara. Ousley will play Sokka and Liu will play Zuko.
In addition, Netflix confirmed that Albert Kim has joined the show to serve as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Kim previously worked on shows like Sleepy Hollow and Nikita.
Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Aladdin) and Lindsey Liberatore (Walker) are also executive producing, along with Michael Goi (Swamp Thing, American Horror Story). Roseanne Liang is co-executive producer and Goi, Roseanne Liang and Jabbar Raisani will serve as directors.
Albert Kim’s blog post
In a blog post, Kim spoke about how he got hooked on the show by watching it with his daughter. He writes:
“Flash forward 15 years. Netflix offers me the opportunity to develop a live-action remake of Avatar. My first thought was, “Why? What is there I could do or say with the story that wasn’t done or said in the original?” A: TLA had only grown in popularity and acclaim over the last decade and a half, which is a testament to how complete and resonant a narrative experience it had been. So if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
“But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became. VFX technology has advanced to the point where a live-action version can not only faithfully translate what had been done in animation — it can bring a rich new visual dimension to a fantastic world. We’ll be able to see bending in a real and visceral way we’ve never seen before.”
He also talks about the importance of authenticity for him and the creative team in developing the live-action adaptation, which features a cast of Asian or Indigenous backgrounds.
“We’ll be expanding and growing the world, and there will be surprises for existing fans and those new to the tale. But throughout this process, our byword has been “authenticity.” To the story. To the characters. To the cultural influences.”
“Finally, a live-action version would establish a new benchmark in representation and bring in a whole new generation of fans. 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.
The live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender was first ordered by Netflix in September 2018. Original series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were involved in the project but subsequently left due to creative differences.
The animated version aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from February 2005 to July 2008. The series received substantial acclaim during its run, picking up multiple Annie Awards, Genesis Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Peabody Award. The sequel series, “Legend of Korra,” aired for four seasons from 2012-2014.
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