Netflix Has Greenlit The Remainder Of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
The renewal for seasons 2 and 3 will complete the adaptation of the animated series
Water. Earth. Fire. These are the three seasons that lived in harmony for 20 years. And nothing will change as the adaptation comes back. Netflix has renewed its live action Avatar: The Last Airbender series for two more seasons, its second and third. While the series did not adopt the book theming of the beloved Nicktoon created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko it is adapting, these seasons will mimic the structure of said animated series and will therefore conclude the adaptation. It is Netflix’s first double-renewal to finish a series.
Already, the show and streamer’s respective Twitter accounts are hyping up the arrival of the one member of Team Avatar that did not appear in the first season, Toph, ready for her debut in her natural spot, unlike Mai and Ty Lee who were adapted into season 1. Respectively, they’ve tweeted “Huge day for Toph fans (me)” and “TOPH LOADING”. Netflix’s Twitter announcement read as such: “The Avatar will return!! Seasons 2 & 3 of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER are coming!” with an accompanying poster. Following the first season’s premiere on February 22, the show garnered 41.1 million views in its first 11 days, topping the streamer’s most watched TV list for both weeks. It is on track to enter its top ten most-watched list over its first three months.
Set in a mystical world where people can manipulate, or bend, the elements, Avatar: The Last Airbender is about 12-year-old Aang, played by Gordon Cormier, awakens to waterbenders Katara, played by Kiawentiio, and Sokka, played by Ian Ousley from a self-induced century-long icy stasis to discover that his airbending people have been genocided. The Fire Nation is encroaching on global domination. As the Avatar, who can bend all four elements known at the time, Aang must bring balance to the world and works with his friends to defeat the efforts of Fire Lord Ozai. Ozai’s actor, Daniel Dae Kim, congratulated the show on its renewal, but he was also the one to reveal to the cast, rounded out by Dallas Liu, who plays Prince Zuko, Elizabeth Yu (Azula) and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Iroh). Maria Zhang could at least be expected back as Suki as well.
Executive producer and director Jabbar Raisani has said things were filmed that didn’t make it into season one. “If we get another season, then we will certainly have those things, because I know what we missed now and I know how to do better the second time around,” he said. “The animated series is a really good guide…for where the show can go.” Albert Kim serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Michael Goi, like Raisani, served as an executive producer and director alongside directors Roseanne Liang (also a co-executive producer) and Jet Wilkinson in the first season. Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore serve as executive producers from Rideback. Lin was recently named Netflix’s head of film and departed Rideback for the gig so it’s unclear if he’s able to maintain such status.
While season 1 was 8 episodes, there is an underlying belief to the reporting that these seasons might end up slightly longer. They will also be filmed in close succession in order to mitigate the aging of the child actors and prevent the story timeline from getting unruly. The writers’ room for season 2 had been discovered through the LinkedIn of an assistant, and had been active since last January.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, What’s On Netflix