Three new Avatar: The Last Airbender films are in the works at Paramount and Nickelodeon
The beloved anime-influenced cartoon aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008
An ill-received 2010 M. Night Shyamalan adaptation of the beloved animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender hasn’t caused studios to shy away from more film adaptations. In fact, Variety reports there are currently three separate projects in the works at Paramount and Nickelodeon based on Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko’s mystical adventure.
The original anime-influenced cartoon, which aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008, follows Aang, a young boy in a world where “benders” have the power to control, water, fire, earth, or air. As the Avatar, Aang is the one person in all the world who can manipulate all four substances. When siblings Katara and Sokka discover Aang encased in a chrysalis of sea ice alongside his sky bison, Appa, they set off on a wild trek to help Aang stop the power-hungry Fire Nation from destroying balance in the world.
The series has already received two spin-offs, one unsuccessful live-action series on Netflix, and another, more successful animated show The Legend of Korra, which followed Korra and her own journey to master her powers.
Paramount announced the production updates at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, but it didn’t share any details on proposed plot lines for the films, per Variety. (If you couldn’t guess, The A.V. Club’s vote is squarely in favor of a “My cabbages!” guy renaissance this time around.)
Lauren Montgomery, who worked on the original series, will direct the still-untitled projects, as well as two sequels that have already been green-lit. Avatar: The Last Airbender co-creators Konietzko and DiMartino will produce the movies alongside Eric Coleman.
“As original creators Mike and Bryan expand the Avatar universe with us, we’re keeping it all in the family with Lauren bringing the same kind of expert, beautiful work she did on the original series to her new directing duties on the forthcoming theatrical,” said Ramsey Naito, president of animation & development at Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation.