Interesting Facts about the Live Action Adaptation of 'AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER' by Netflix, Original Creators Not Involved in Production

Kapanlagi.com - Netflix has announced its plans to bring back the beloved world through a live action adaptation of the famous animated series AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. This Netflix adaptation was first announced in 2018 and will be released next year on February 22, 2024. Fans have mixed reactions, with some having positive and negative responses due to surprising news during the production process.

However, amidst the mixed expectations, fans want to know more about the process of making this live action series. What sets it apart from the animated version? Will the main plot remain the same or will there be significant changes? How will this live action version showcase important elements, and more. If you're curious about these questions, keep reading until the end!

1. Adaptation from Episodic to Live Action

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Netflix will not attempt to fix and also change various important elements in the original series. By utilizing additional duration, the main plot of this series will follow Aang's journey to become a fully realized Avatar, while providing more room for the development of supporting characters and additional storylines that may have been overlooked in the original version.

Although many fans enjoy animated series with half-hour episodes, some have the opinion that longer duration can be utilized for this adaptation series. For example, some plots and the introduction of supporting characters feel rushed and therefore incomplete. With each episode likely to have a duration between forty to sixty minutes, the characters will have more time to develop.

2. Original Creators Not Involved

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Fans' enthusiasm increased when Netflix announced their plans to create a live-action adaptation of one of the most popular animated films, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, in 2018. Fans were thrilled to hear the news that Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the two creators responsible for the success of the original series, would be directly involved in this project.

However, 2 years after the announcement of the live-action adaptation by Netflix, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko announced that they would be leaving the project. Their significant differences with Netflix regarding how the story and characters should be treated in the live-action version determined this decision. Michael Dante DiMartino had the following to say about his departure from this project: 

"When Bryan and I signed on to this project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners. In the joint announcement for this series, Netflix stated its commitment to honor our vision in this retelling and support us in creating this series. And we expressed how excited we were for this opportunity to lead. Unfortunately, things didn't go as we had hoped."

3. Overcoming Previous Disappointments

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Considering the reputation of the previous live-action film made by M. Night Shyamalan, it is not surprising that some negative responses to the new live-action announcement of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER have emerged. Loyal fans were very disappointed with the first adaptation in 2010, which received a lot of harsh criticism. These reactions indicate that the fans' expectations were not met and that their expectations were shattered by the deviation from the original source material.

However, hopes began to resurface after Netflix's announcement that they will honor the essence of the original story and also establish a new creative team from various directors of famous and successful films like Albert Kim who directed SLEEPY HOLLOW. Many fans hope that the unsatisfactory previous experience will serve as a valuable lesson for the Netflix production team to maintain the quality of the story, characters, and essence that many people love in the animated version.

Although there are still many fans who are skeptical of this adaptation because the original creators are no longer involved, with the release of the new trailer, many fans are also more open-minded because the glimpses shown so far remain the same and faithful to the original series.

(kpl/grl)