After Paramount announced a set of three animated Avatar: The Last Airbender features set within the show’s continuity last month, much speculation was held over what the films would focus on. At the San Diego Comic-Con, Legend of Korra actress Janet Varney revealed the first of these three movies will follow Avatar’s main character Aang in a new adventure.
Rather than be a trilogy of films, each one will follow its own separate story. Some rumours speculated the first film would be about Kyoshi, an Avatar two cycles before Aang, and while that could still be one of the films, Aang and his friends, which include Katara, Sokka, Toph and Zuko, will be featured in the first movie.
“There have been a lot of rumors floating around, a lot of speculation and a lot of excitement — I feel it too,” Varney said in a virtual appearance to the SDCC crowd during the Avatar: Braving The Elements panel, even teasing the Kyoshi rumours by holding a copy of the novel Avatar: The Rise of Kyoshi. “But we figured it was time to set the record straight. The first feature length movie from Avatar Studios will be focusing on Avatar Aang and his friends, and I for one cannot wait!”
Just got some HUGE NEWS from @janetvarney at our #NickSDCC Avatar: Braving the Elements – LIVE! panel, the first feature-length movie from Avatar Studios will be focusing on Avatar Aang and his friends! 💨💦🍃🔥 pic.twitter.com/dsbK1XMCe5
— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) July 22, 2022
The Aang film will be directed by Lauren Montgomery, who worked as a storyboard artist on the original series and has gone on to direct episodes of Voltron: Legendary Defender, Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. No other details were given about where exactly in Aang’s life between Avatar and Korra the film would take place in or what the story would explore.
Created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino, Avatar: The Last Airbender followed Aang, a young boy reawakening in a world of warring nation-states where people, known as ‘benders’, can manipulate the four elements of earth, fire, wind, and water. He is tasked with undertaking a dangerous mystic quest in order to fulfil his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world. A follow-up, The Legend of Korra, aired for four seasons between 2012 and 2014.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
