Netflix's upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation is set to make a few changes, like introducing fan-favorite characters Mai and Ty Lee earlier in the story than expected.
According to Avatar News, Azula's two best (and only) friends in the Four Nations will appear in Season 1 of the live-action series. It is believed the roles are currently being cast. Season 1 is expected to expand on the Book One: Water from Nickelodeon's iconic animated series, though the extent of that expansion is currently unknown. It is also unknown how large of a role Mai and Ty Lee will play in the first season and if it will be any larger than a cameo.
It was recently announced that Princess Azula will be played by actor Elizabeth Yu. With casting announcements for Zuko, Uncle Iroh and Ozai -- who will be played by Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Daniel Dae Kim, respectively -- the core cast of the Fire Nation appears to be on the cusp of completion.
Mai and Ty Lee made their debut in the Season 2 episode "Return to Omashu," which saw Aang, Katara and Sokka return to the titular Earth Kingdom city in search of an Earth-bending mentor for the Avatar. Though Aang hoped that he could turn to King Bumi, one of his oldest friends, he discovered that the Earth-bending master had been imprisoned and, surprisingly, was choosing to stay confined in his metal cage-- waiting for the right moment to liberate his city.
Yu's involvement was announced alongside that of Maria Zhang, who will play the Kyoshi warrior Suki; Tamlyn Tomita as Suki's mother Yukari; Casey Camp-Horinek as Katara and Sokka's Gran-Gran and Yvonne Chapman as the Avatar Kyoshi.
Filming has reportedly begun on the production. Actor Gordon Cormier posted an image of himself on social media to tease it, showcasing his look as the Avatar. When it comes to the reception of the project among the original voice cast, the project has received support. Actor Dante Basco previously showed support for his Zuko-counterpart, Liu, telling audiences, "I just had a conversation with the new kid playing Zuko on the show for Netflix-- Dallas Liu-- and we were talking about the character, and, you know, I was kinda passing the torch, like, bro, it's your turn to play him, how you’re gonna play him."
Avatar: The Last Airbender does not yet have a release date, but all three seasons of the original series are available to stream on Netflix in the US.
Source: Avatar News