Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have set July 2, 2010, as the release date for M. Night Shyamalan’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the popular action-adventure animated series.
Paramount has dropped Avatar from the title to avoid confusion with James Cameron’s science-fiction epic, which opens in December 2009.
The award-winning series, which airs on Nickelodeon, is set in an Asian-influenced world of martial arts and elemental manipulation where a young boy, the reincarnated Avatar, must stop the ruthless Fire Nation from conquering the other three kingdoms. The third season, “Book 3: Fire,” debuted in September 2007.
Shyamalan, who will write the adaptation, told Empire magazine the film will shoot on stages in Philadelphia and on location at places such as Greenland.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Hmm… And STILL no word on when Nick’s going to air the last half of season 3, even though it’s been airing in Canada for a couple of months now.
Although this article doesn’t mention it, an add for the next set of DVDs (that I read at a different site) makes it clear that the series is indeed ending with season 3. What a shame! The series appears to have been very successful for Nick, and it sounds like it’s ending simply so Shyama-lama-ding-dong can make his live action version. I just hope it’s A LOT better than his other films.
At least he never got the chance to butcher a Harry Potter adaptation. It was rumored that he was interested in doing one of those.
Oh, and it’s too bad they’re dropping “AVATAR” from the title. As far as I’m concerned, they beat Cameron to it since the show’s been around for a few years. Oh well, the fans will know what it is anyhow. Just hope it doesn’t suck.
April 16th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I’ve been catching up on the Avatar series, and I’m not mad about it ending with season 3. The story being told, though epic, to all appearances is building towards a proper conclusion in season 3 and I couldn’t really see carrying the series beyond that conclusion.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I thought it had already been announced on the main site that while the story of Ang vs. the Fire Nation would end with Season Three, there were other stories they intended to tell in Seasons Four and beyond.
April 17th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Well… I see your point, Richard. I’m just a bit saddened that here’s a truly good animated series that both kids AND adults could agree upon — one that didn’t talk down to the kiddies or insult a grown-up’s intelligence — and it’s ending so soon. It’s faux-anime approach also bridged the gap between anime fans and non-anime fans.
It’s very unique show, and I still maintain it’s one of the best things on TV. Animated or not. Just a shame that the good animated fare, aside from The Simpsons, doesn’t seem to last terribly long.
Anyhow, I’m guess that the suits at CBS (the parent company of Nick and Paramount) figure they can re-run the 60 or so episodes forever (you can already see seasons 1 & 2 about ten times a day on Nicktoons), keep selling the DVDs to new viewers, and make a ton more if they turn “The Last Airbender” (sorry, but it’ll always be AVATAR to me) into a film franchise.
I just think it’s a risky move, especially when it’s put in the hands of a director who’s not so terribly loved anymore. Shyamalan is not Uwe Boll or McG, but neither is he Spielberg or Cuaron (two people who might’ve made a GREAT Avatar movie).
I think the casting of all the children (not to mention Uncle Iroh), the authenticity of the martial arts, and the CGI (Appa’s gonna be real interesting) are all places where this movie could go horribly awry. And, of course, people will compare it to the TV show and that may be really hard to live up to. Especially if the movie is just a rehash of the storyline of the show.
I’m not sure that Avatar, the show, would’ve had a point once the Fire Nation storyline is wrapped up, but I think I would’ve been happier to see it continue than be made into a live-action film. Again, I hope I’m proved wrong.
January 17th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
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