See the First Photos of the Fire Nation From Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender"
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Netflix has slowly been unveiling the first glimpses of its live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," revealing the ensemble cast who will soon bring the water, earth, fire, and air elements back to the small screen. The streamer shared the first photos of the Fire Nation's leading players, including Zuko, Fire Lord Ozai, Uncle Iroh, and more on Oct. 17, giving fans their first look at the Fire Nation's recognizable red and black ensembles.
Back in June, the streamer shared the first photos and trailer of the upcoming series at its Tudum event in Brazil. But it also confirmed that viewers still have a long wait until the adaptation of the animated Nickelodeon series arrives.
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" garnered critical acclaim during its original three-season run on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series is about four nations — the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads — where inhabitants called "benders" can manipulate the four elements separately, and Aang — the titular Avatar — who can manipulate all four elements. Now, the show is getting an update, thanks to showrunner/executive producer Albert Kim.
Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the original "Avatar: The Last Airbender" creators, were in talks with Netflix about the new series but ultimately left the production due to conflicting visions and creative differences, per a statement released by DiMartino via Instagram in August 2020.
While DiMartino and Konietzko are no longer involved with the live-action production, it still hopes to bring their original vision to life in a new way while staying true to the source material. In a statement posted on Netflix's website, Kim said, "But throughout this process, our byword has been 'authenticity.' To the story. To the characters. To the cultural influences."
Since the live-action series was announced, fans of the original show have been eager to learn more details about it, including its cast and premiere date. Read on for everything we know so far about Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" live-action series.
— Additional reporting by Njera Perkins
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Live-Action Series Teaser
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"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Live-Action Series Plot
"Avatar: The Last Airbender" will have the same storyline and characters as the original series. The series takes place in a world where four nations — the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads — lived in peace before the Fire Nation started a war against the other nations. Within this world, "benders" can manipulate one of four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. One special bender, 12-year-old Aang, has the ability to manipulate all four elements. Revealed to be the Avatar, Aang must use his powers to restore balance to the world.
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"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Live-Action Series Cast
The cast of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" features both fresh and familiar faces. Gordon Cormier plays Aang, Kiawentiio Tarbell stars as Katara, Ian Ousley plays Sokka, and Dallas Liu portrays Zuko.
Per Variety, additional cast members include George Takei as Koh; Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh; Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso; Ken Leung as Commander Zhao; Elizabeth Yu as Azula; Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi; Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari; Casey Camp-Horinek as Gran Gran; Maria Zhang as Suki; Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue; A Martinez as Pakku; Irene Bedard as Yagoda; Joel Oulette as Hahn; Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook; Meegwun Fairbrother as Avatar Kuruk; Arden Cho as June; Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi; Lucian-River Chauhan as Teo; Momona Tamada as Ty Lee; Thalia Tran as Mai; Ruy Iskandar as Lt. Jee; C.S. Lee as Avatar Roku; François Chau as the Great Sage; Ryan Mah as Lt. Dang; and Randall Duk Kim as the voice of Wan Shi Tong. Danny Pudi and James Sie also star in the series.
Unlike the 2010 film adaptation of "Avatar," which was panned for whitewashing characters, the creators of the Netflix adaptation prioritized casted actors of Asian and Indigenous backgrounds to stay true to the original story.
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"Avatar: The Last Airbender" Live-Action Series Premiere Date
Though an exact date for the series has not yet been set, Netflix confirmed that it's finally slated to premiere sometime in 2024.
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How Many Episodes Will "Avatar: The Last Airbender" Live-Action Series Have?
The original series spanned three seasons, with each season consisting of about 20 episodes. The live-action "Avatar: The Last Airbender" series will likely have fewer episodes, with some outlets reporting that the series will consist of 10 episodes to start.
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