Audiences have been waiting for quite a while for Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the streaming service has not yet announced an official release date, a new rumor suggests fans may have to wait a while longer.
According to Midgard Times, an unnamed source at Netflix suggested that the release of the live-action series adaptation may be pushed back to early 2024, likely because the streaming giant already has several major shows lined up for release across this year, including Season 3 of The Witcher and The Three-Body Problem. No official word has been provided concerning the release of Avatar: The Last Airbender and, at the current time, the new report should be taken as a rumor only.
Netflix's Live-Action Adaptation
Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender wrapped filming in June 2022 and few major updates have been provided since then, though actor Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Fire Lord Ozai in the upcoming series, confirmed that work on the series is still underway. Specifically, the series still needs to complete visual effects work. It is worth reiterating that at the time of writing, Netflix has not announced a release window.
The upcoming live-action adaptation is expected to reimagine the events and characters of Book 1: Water from Nickelodeon's iconic show, though casting reports indicate characters from elsewhere will also make an appearance. As an example, the show has reportedly already cast actors Thalia Tran, Momona Tamada and Lizzy Yu as Mai, Ty Lee and Azula, all of which appear in Book 2: Earth.
What Avatar: The Last Airbender Fans Can Expect
Where the central cast is concerned, actor Gordon Cormier will play Aang, Kiawentiio plays Katara, Ian Ousley is Sokka, Dallas Liu is Prince Zuko, and Paul Sun-hyung Lee is playing Iroh. However, while virtually all notable characters from the animated show are set to appear, the series will also shed more light on lesser known, though equally signficant -- figures from Avatar: The Last Airbender lore.
Previous reports suggested Avatar Kuruk, one of Aang's past lives, will play a more significant role in the upcoming adaptation than he did in the original series. However, this as well has not been officially confirmed by Netflix. The reports suggested he will appear in two episodes of what will be an eight-episode season, according to actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.
The original Avatar: The Last Airbender series, as well as the sequel show, The Legend of Korra, are available for streaming on Paramount+.
Source: Midgard Times