17 years have passed since Avatar: The Last Airbender wrapped up Aang’s journey, but it continues to enjoy an enduring legacy. The beloved world created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko is set for a return under their Avatar Studios banner, starting with a trilogy of animated films.
Hot on the heels of a first look at the upcoming Avatar: Seven Havens, the sequel to 2012’s The Legend of Korra, the duo has revealed who Steven Yeun will be playing in The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. Previously cast in an undisclosed role, The Walking Dead star is now revealed to be the voice of a persistent fan-favourite: Zuko, the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, portrayed by Dante Basco in the original series.
“Steven Yeun was Avatar Wan,” Konietzko told IGN during San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2025. “He played the first Avatar in The Legend of Korra. We loved working with him and we’re excited to have him back in the universe.”
Yuen lent his voice to Wan in the first three episodes of the sequel, but neither Konietzko nor DiMartino have confirmed if he will also reprise the role in The Legend of Aang. While plot details remain under wraps, the project is expected to feature an adult Avatar Aang and his friends set between The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
The Invincible actor is joined by an ensemble cast that includes Dave Bautista (a mysterious antagonist), Eric Nam (Aang), Dionne Quan (Toph), Jessica Matten (Katara), and Román Zaragoza (Sokka). It will hit the silver screen on 9 October 2026, and is the first of three films planned to take place in that universe.
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.
As for Avatar: Seven Havens, due out in 2027, the forthcoming threequel is centred on two long-lost Earthbending twins as one of them discovers that she’s the newest Avatar, a being who can uniquely manipulate or ‘bend’ the four elements: air, water, earth, and fire.
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.
Ting Wei
