EntertainmentTVFantasy ShowsAvatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last Airbender showrunner opens up about “tough” time when original creators quit the Netflix showWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVFantasy ShowsAvatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last Airbender showrunner opens up about “tough” time when original creators quit the Netflix showWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Avatar: The Last Airbender has had a rocky road to the screen. After the first live-action adaptation of the beloved animated show, M Night Shyamalan’s 2010 movie, failed to ignite audience imaginations, hopes turned to a new Netflix reboot.
It had all the right ingredients this time around, including the involvement of the original creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, before everything hit a roadblock. In June 2020, they announced they were leaving the series and, as its showrunner Albert Kim tellsSFX magazinein the new issue, which featuresHalo season 2on the cover, this was almost the end of the line for his involvement as well.
“There was a moment where I stepped back to think, ‘What is this going to look like without them involved?'” Kim says candidly. “I felt very confident in the direction that we had charted. Netflix was also very enthusiastic about where we were going with everything, so it felt organic to continue with the show, even after they left. But it wasn’t easy.”
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“There definitely was a moment of like, ‘Wow, it’s gonna be tough,'” Kim admits. “I would have loved to have them as people I could talk to and consult, and collaborate with. But again, that was a personal decision on their part. After that happened, it was just about moving forward as best we could, and what we felt was best for the project.”
Luckily though, the showrunner adds that his time on the project with DiMartino and Konietzko allowed him the chance to pick their brains at least. “I was really thrilled to ask them everything, from even outside of what the show’s going to be about, and just my own personal interests having followed the show for so long,” he adds of their talks together. “It was a blast being able to do that. And then we started to talk about what the show should be and could be.”
Starring Gordon Cormier, Dallas Liu, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Elizabeth Yu, and Daniel Dae Kim, the new Netflix series tells the beginning of this beloved story. It follows Aang, the last living Airbender able to bend all four elements, as he is faced with the colossal challenge of maintaining the balance of the world and nature amid constant threats.
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Avatar: The Last Airbender is released on Netflix on February 22. The above is just a snippet of our interview, available inthe latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Halo season 2 on the cover and is available on newsstands from Wednesday, January 24. For even more from SFX, sign up for thenewsletter, sending all the latest exclusives straight to your inbox.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”