Jayden Zhang, who is likely best known for playing a young Shang-Chi in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been cast in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
According to Avatar News, Zhang will portray one of Aang's childhood friends at the Southern Air Temple in the series' flashback scenes. The young actor joins an already impressive lineup of talent; other members of the cast include Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio Tarbell as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai.
Moreover, like with Zhang's casting, the live-action Avatar show has recently been making headlines with its choices for seemingly minor but ultimately beloved roles. Last month, it was revealed that none other than Star Trek's George Takei will voice the spirit Koh. The Face-Stealer only made a single appearance in the first season of the original animated series but has gone on to be a fan-favorite character. The unlucky Cabbage Merchant has been cast as well, and surprisingly James Sie, the original voice actor of the recurring character, will reprise his role in the live-action show.
Not the First Live-Action Avatar
This isn't the first attempt at a live-action adaptation. In 2010, M. Night Shyamalan's live-action movie, The Last Airbender, premiered and was widely despised by both critics and fans. However, Utkarsh Ambudkar, the actor portraying King Bumi, has promised fans that Netflix's show will be nothing like Shyamalan's film. "I think people are really gonna be pleased when they see the series. It's done super well. Everybody who's part of the show loves it. They're going to do it justice. I'm not trying to diss my own people, but... M. Night, I got your back, I ride or die for you, but we're doing something different with this one," he told CBR in an exclusive interview.
Netflix announced its live-action Avatar series back in September 2018. Albert Kim, a producer and writer for The CW's Nikita and Fox's Sleepy Hollow, is signed on as showrunner, and Rideback, the company behind The Lego Movie franchise and the film remakes of IT, is handling the production.
Netflix's Avatar currently doesn't have a premiere date, but the original animated series is available on the platform.
Source: Avatar News