Beloved animated franchise Avatar: The Last Airbender is heading to theaters -- but not for a while.
Per Variety, the untitled movie will receive a wide release in cinemas on Oct. 10, 2025. The first of several previously announced Last Airbender projects, the film will focus on Avatar Aang and his friends embarking on a new adventure. The movie comes courtesy of Nickelodeon Animation, Paramount Animation and Avatar Studios, the recently formed company co-led by Last Airbender creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Since Avatar Studios' official announcement in 2021, the company's scope within the Last Airbender universe has expanded significantly. Originally expected to produce one film, the company is currently developing three along with a Last Airbender television series. One of the three films will reportedly center on fan-favorite villain-turned-hero Zuko, while another will supposedly follow Avatar Korra, who starred in her own sequel series The Legend of Korra from 2012-14. The new Last Airbender movies were previously expected to be released 2024, 2025 and 2026, but the first film's 2025 release date may now mean the second and third will open in 2026 and 2027 instead.
The Avatar: The Last Airbender Film May Be a Departure From the Series
Despite the original show being lauded for its animation style upon release, the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender projects may look very different. In 2021, the president and CEO of Nickelodeon and CCO of kids and family for Paramount+ Brian Robbins described Avatar Studios' theatrical slate as "a series of CG films," a significant departure from the original 2005-08 series' hand-drawn 2D animation. However, a subsequent report claimed Avatar Studios was developing a new hybrid animation style for the projects -- a combination of 2D and CG aimed at creating a "unique production look." In October, Flying Bark Productions, the animation team behind several episodes of Disney+'s Marvel series What If...?, announced it would be working on the 2025 Last Airbender film.
Outside of Avatar Studios, at least one project inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender is in development. Netflix is deep into production on a live-action adaptation of the series that boasts a huge cast, including Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Zuko and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai. DiMartino and Konietzko were originally attached as executive producers and showrunners but left the project in 2020 due to disagreements over the creative direction of the series.
Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are currently available to stream on Netflix and Paramount+.
Source: Variety