Netflix’s ‘The Last Airbender’ Series Presents its Cast
The second live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender has found its four main characters.
Netflix announced last week the first batch of new faces that would take on the acclaimed property, which they’re hoping to turn into a gigantic live-action series for the streaming service. This is the official announcement that dropped via Twitter:
Water. Fire. Air. Boomerang.
Introducing the first of the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender. pic.twitter.com/XC7Zyk7rCF
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) August 12, 2021
Gordon Cormier’s resume isn’t very big, but he already landed roles in big series such as Netflix’s Lost in Space or Paramount’s take on Stephen King’s The Stand; he will play Aang, the main character of the show. Kiawentiio (Beans, Rutherford Falls) is set to play Katara. Ian Ousley (13 Reasons Why, Physical) is filling Sokka’s shoes. And last but not least, Dallas Liu (Legendary Dudas, PEN15) will embody the villainous Zuko.
Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the original animated show, publicly announced last year that they would no longer be involved with this live-action adaptation due to creative differences with the streamer. This was a gut punch for fans, as their involvement promised a take on the material far above 2010’s terrible film adaptation by M. Night Shyamalan. However, we learned earlier this year that, as part of Paramount Plus’ massive slate of projects, Avatar Studios had been launched by ViacomCBS in order to expand and mine the world of The Last Airbender. This venture is being run by DiMartino and Konietzko, so diehards will be happy one way or another.
For now, Albert Kim, the current showrunner for Netflix’s show, is reassuring fans that they’re trying their best to follow the material closely while making it feel fresh:
I also knew what I didn’t want to do. I didn’t want to change things for the sake of change. I didn’t want to modernize the story, or twist it to fit current trends. Aang is not going to be a gritty antihero. Katara is not going to get curtain bangs. (I was briefly tempted to give Sokka a TikTok account though. Think of the possibilities.)
Don’t get me wrong. We’ll be expanding and growing the world, and there will be surprises for existing fans and those new to the tale. But throughout this process, our byword has been “authenticity.” To the story. To the characters. To the cultural influences. Authenticity is what keeps us going, both in front of the camera and behind it, which is why we’ve assembled a team unlike any seen before—a group of talented and passionate artists who are working around the clock to bring this rich and incredibly beautiful world to life.
Expect the series to keep filling its cast in the coming months. Production should kick off either later this year or in early 2022 if all goes well.
Francisco J. Ruiz is that guy who has watched Jurassic Park a thousand times and loves Star Wars. His hunger for movies is only matched by his love for video games. He graduated in English Studies from the University of Malaga, in Spain. As he keeps writing about what he enjoys (and doesn’t) for websites all over, he’s continuing his studies.
