As it turns out, everything changed when the streaming nation attacked. In a change that’s likely to ruffle some feathers, the upcoming The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender animated feature won’t play in cinemas as intended.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, it will instead debut on Paramount+, now the exclusive home of all animated content from Avatar Studios — a division led by original series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Under this arrangement, the previously announced series Avatar: Seven Havens, serving as a sequel to 2012’s The Legend of Korra, is also confirmed to bow on the streamer.
The blow is softened (or not, depending on who’s being asked) by additional casting news of Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), Geraldine Viswanathan (Thunderbolts), Dee Bradley Baker (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Peta Sergeant, Freida Pinto (CW’s Supergirl), and Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once) in unspecified roles, joining the likes of Dave Bautista as a mysterious antagonist, Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, and Steven Yeun as Zuko.
“The Avatar Universe has captivated audiences for two decades, and Paramount+ is proud to be the exclusive streaming home for its beloved animated incarnation,” said Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+. “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender and Avatar: Seven Havens represent the next evolution of storytelling from Avatar Studios — bringing together remarkable talent both in front of and behind the camera to deliver the epic adventures and emotional depth fans have come to expect.”
The original show ran from 2005 to 2008, following Aang on his quest to master all four elements — water, earth, fire, and air — to fulfil his destiny as the Avatar and bring peace to the world by defeating the Fire Lord, the ruling supreme of the Fire Nation. Since its finale, the series continued for four seasons with The Legend of Korra, receiving a string of comic books, prequel novels, and two live-action adaptations: M. Night Shyamalan’s widely panned film and an 8-episode outing on Netflix. Both The Last Airbender and its sequel are available to stream on Paramount+.
Lauren Montgomery is directing The Legend of Aang alongside Steve Ahn and William Mata, with Latifa Ouaou, Maryann Garger, Konietzko, and DiMartino producing. Award-winning composer Jeremy Zuckerman also returns to score both the film and the Seven Havens series, which will run for 26 episodes split between Book 1 and Book 2. DiMartino and Konietzko serve as co-creators and executive producers, joined by executive producer Ethan Spaulding and co-executive producer Sehaj Sethi.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is slated to premiere sometime in Fall 2026, before Avatar: Seven Havens arrives in 2027 with a new protagonist in tow: one of two long-lost Earthbending twins, who discover that she is the new Avatar.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
