Although the live-action versions of Avatar: The Last Airbender have largely disappointed and caused controversy in different ways, the Nickelodeon show’s animated version has remained popular years after it and its sequel The Legend Of Korra aired.
Years after their runs on the children’s cable giant ended, both Avatar and Korra remain famous. For weeks last summer, the two Netflix originals were at the top of the platform’s most-watched series. That’s why the news that an animated film and more episodes are in the works is bound to excite many bending fans.
New series and films set in the “Avatar Airbender universe” are in the works, according to Deadline, and will most likely air on Nickelodeon once they’re completely fleshed out.
In an interview with Deadline in conjunction with the Nickelodeon upfront presentation, network president Brian Robbins revealed a little more about the franchise’s ambitions beyond the first function announced at the ViacomCBS Streaming Event.
“We are in the early stages of developing and exploring what we are calling an entire Avatar Airbender universe,” he said. “Mike and Bryan are hard at work, and I think that universe will encompass definitely a theatrical film, animation, certainly multiple TV series, and probably multiple films. I think we will be ready very soon to tell the world what is coming first but we are not there yet because we’re in the early stages of creative development.”
That’s great news, given how well The Legend of Korra held up to the original series in terms of consistency while also greatly expanding the show’s universe. Although that might seem like a lot of material, the show has shown that it can tell a variety of stories through many eras and generations in the show’s broader universe.
However, one possible drawback of all of this is that the animated versions seem to be destined for streaming platforms other than Netflix. Although the live-action Avatar series will air there, Robbins hinted that the animated content will air on platforms like Paramount+ and the more conventional Nickelodeon cable channel, according to the article.
