Andrew Heinzman
Nickelodeon is launching Avatar Studios, a division committed to expanding the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The studio, led by Avatar co-creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, will begin production on an animated theatrical film this year.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, DiMartino and Konietzko expressed their excitement to work on Avatar nearly 20 years after the series’ inception. The Avatar creators recently abandoned Netflix’s live-action Avatar series due to “creative differences,” but say that the leaders at Nickelodeon support “a positive, proactive environment” that they can thrive in.
The Avatar series is enjoying a new wave of popularity thanks to its recent arrival on Netflix. People who missed the series when it was on air are finally getting the chance to see what it’s all about, and many long-time fans are sharing the franchise with their kids. It’s only natural for Nickelodeon to capitalize on the excitement, and from a fan’s perspective, it’s good to see the often-mistreated series in the hands of its original creators.
Details on the new animated Avatar movie are scarce. We only know that Avatar Studios will begin production on the movie sometime in 2021. It’s possible that Avatar Studios could create a new series based on the Avatar franchise at some point, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Source: Nickelodeon via Entertainment Weekly
