News of an animated Avatar: The Last Airbender film has fans of the franchise yearning for Avatars past.
The upcoming animated film will take aim at Aang and the Gaang in their young adulthoods, following the events of The Last Airbender and preceding the events of Legend of Korra. Fans of the franchise are delighted at the prospect of getting a deeper look at Aang, Katara, Zuko, and the rest after they’ve left their childhoods behind, but news of another Avatar project has some fans hoping for more.
Rumors initially pointed to a show or film that followed one of the Avatars of legend, like Kyoshi or Roku. These popular Avatars were vital elements of previous Avatar releases, and fans would welcome a deeper look at their lives and legacies. While no one is disappointed by news of another Aang-centric release, many fans are hoping to encourage Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the show’s creators, to provide even more content set in their incredible world.
The release of a set of prequel novels about Avatar Kyoshi, in particular, is sparking conversations about a potential Kyoshi spin-off. The popular Earth Kingdom-born Avatar who preceded Roku, the Avatar before Aang, has long been a favorite among fans, and hints toward her history — and the legacy she laid down — only enticed fans more.
For now, fans will have to make do with the animated film. The Legend of Korra gave fans a bare glimpse of what happened to Aang and Team Avatar following their takedown of Firelord Ozai, but the film aims to fill in the gaps. It could also dig into the comics that were released after The Last Airbender‘s success, which followed Zuko on his quest to track down his mother. The comics remain a beloved part of Avatar lore, and fans would love to see them adapted for the small screen.
The animated film looks to be one of several, according to an announcement from Paramount. Three animated films are currently slated for release over the coming years, according to reporting by Variety, all of which will see Konietzko and DiMartino return as producers. So hope remains that spin-off films covering the years before Aang became Avatar could be a reality, but few details about the films are currently known.
