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Avatar: The Last Airbender is set to be adapted for live action for a second time, this time for the small screen on Netflix.
Nickelodeon's beloved animated series has become a classic since it first aired on the channel for three seasons from 2005 to 2008.
The show focused on the tale of Aang, the eponymous Avatar who can wield the power of all four elements: fire, water, air and earth.
It sees Aang and his friends Katara, Sokka, and later Toph, embark on a quest to stop the Fire Nation's war against the other nations.
The series also follows Zuko, the exiled prince of the Fire Nation who is determined to capture Aang to restore his honor.
The series spawned an animated spinoff titled Legend of Korra, which featured the characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as an ill-received 2010 live-action film by M. Night Shyamalan.
And now Netflix is set to release its own iteration of the story, which will once again be a live-action reimagining of the Nickelodeon series.
Newsweek can reveal everything we know so far about the streaming platform's take on Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Who Will Star in Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Remake?
On Thursday, Netflix revealed the actors who would take on the roles of the four leads Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko in a blog post.
Gordon Cormier, 12, will take on the role of Aang, Kiawentiio will portray Katara, Ian Ousley is playing Sokka, and Dallas Liu has been cast as Zuko.
Cormier made his acting debut in 2019, and he has since appeared in shows like The Stand and Lost In Space.
Kiawentiio made her on-screen acting debut in Netflix's Anne With An E in which she took on the role of Ka'kwet.
Ousley is also a Netflix alum, having appeared in 13 Reasons Why as Robby Corman, and he has also starred in Apple TV+ show Physical and Disney+'s Big Shot.
Liu has starred in a number of TV shows and films, and will soon make his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
On November 3 it was announced by The Hollywood Reporter that Hawaii Five-0 star Daniel Dae Kim had been cast as Fire Lord Ozai, Prince Zuko's ruthless father.
This isn't Kim's first venture into the Avatar: The Last Airbender world, as he voiced General Fong in the original series and also portrayed Horishi Sato in sequel The Legend of Korra.
Who Will Be Working on Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Remake?
Netflix revealed in the blog post that Albert Kim would be joining the project as showrunner, executive producer and writer.
Kim wrote the post announcing the cast, and said he first got interested in the show when he watched it alongside his daughter.
He said: "Flash-forward 15 years. Netflix offers me the opportunity to develop a live-action remake of Avatar.
"My first thought was, 'Why? What is there I could do or say with the story that wasn't done or said in the original?'
"A:TLA had only grown in popularity and acclaim over the last decade and a half, which is a testament to how complete and resonant a narrative experience it had been. So if it ain't broke, why fix it?
"But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became. VFX technology has advanced to the point where a live-action version can not only faithfully translate what had been done in animation—it can bring a rich new visual dimension to a fantastic world. We'll be able to see bending in a real and visceral way we've never seen before."
Kim added: "A live-action version would establish a new benchmark in representation and bring in a whole new generation of fans.
"This was a chance to showcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people. Not just in a cartoon, but in a world that truly exists, very similar to the one we live in."
Are the Original Creators of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Involved in the Netflix Remake?
The Nickelodeon animation's original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were originally set to create the series when it was first ordered by Netflix in 2018.
However, in August 2020 the pair revealed that they would no longer be involved in the project, saying they had realized it was time for them to "move on."
In an open letter about the decision, DiMartino said: "In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series.
"And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped."
DiMartino explained that "things happen," making a show can be "challenging," and sometimes plans simply have to change as a result.
He added: "I do my best to go with the flow, no matter what obstacle is put in my way. But even an Air Nomad knows when it's time to cut their losses and move on."
After leaving the production the pair went on to establish Avatar Studios following a new deal with Nickelodeon, and the company will work on making new animated series and films within the Avatar universe.
Update: 11/04/21 8.23 a.m. ET: This article was updated to add news on Daniel Dae Kim's casting as Fire Lord Ozai.
About the writer
Roxy Simons is a Newsweek TV and Film Reporter (SEO), based in London, U.K. Her focus is reporting on the ... Read more