Netflix’s upcoming live-action adaptation of the popular Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender has generated significant buzz among fans. The show follows young Avatar Aang as he aspires to master the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air to save a world at war. The showrunner Albert Kim has shared in a recent interview that the show seeks to appeal not only to kids but also to mature audiences like Game of Thrones fans.
Fans of the series, however, have expressed confusion and skepticism on social media, dismissing the notion as absurd, saying that it makes zero sense.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Creator is Hoping to Appeal to Game of Thrones Fans
Albert Kim has shared that the upcoming live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender aims to appeal not only to the fans of the original Nickelodeon series but also to a mature audience like the fans of the HBO drama Game of Thrones.
In a recent interview with IGN, the showrunner shared that moving ahead with the adaptation, they knew that it “couldn’t just be for kids.” Acknowledging the original series’ blend of humor, action, and darkness, Kim discussed the challenge of staying true to its essence while pushing boundaries. He further explained,
“So for us, it was about striking that right balance, of making sure you were true to the DNA of the original. But at the same time, we had to make it a serialized Netflix drama, which meant it couldn’t just be for kids. It had to also appeal to the people who are big fans of Game of Thrones.”
Starring Gordon Cormier as the titular hero alongside Dallas Liu and Kiawentiio Tarbell, it is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on February 22, 2024. Fans of the series, however, are not too pleased with the showrunner’s remarks about Avatar: The Last Airbender appeasing the Game of Thrones audience and have shared their discontent.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Fans Stunned By Creator’s Remarks
Fans of the original Nickelodeon series have huge expectations from the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, especially due to past disappointments from previous attempts at remakes or adaptations that failed to capture the essence of the beloved series.
Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan adapted the series for his 2010 film The Last Airbender, which fell short of honoring the original series, adding to fans’ skepticism about future adaptations. Albert Kim’s recent comments have further fueled concerns and confusion among fans.
They took to Twitter to share their discontent, as they said that comparing a kids’ show to Game of Thrones “makes 0 sense.” Others also highlighted the same, stating that Game of Thrones was adapted from a book series written for adults, while Avatar has always been a children’s show.
Why Game of Thrones ? That makes 0 sense
— zbigi (@zbigi15) February 2, 2024
It absolutely can just be for kids. You can have heavy subjects in kids shows. It's OK.
— Richard S (@theMetalicFloyd) February 2, 2024
— Pablo (@PabIo_Rodriguez) February 2, 2024
This is dumb. My wife and I didn’t watch the cartoon until last year. We’re in our 30s and loved the cartoon. Stop trying to change things and stay true to the story.
— Alfonso Valdez (@gonzo7v) February 2, 2024
Avatar was never just for kids, it was made for everyone to enjoy. How do you fumble a show this fucking badly
— Darth Octopus (@Darth_Octopus) February 2, 2024
Game of Thrones was adapted from a book series that was written for adults……. Avatar is being adapted from a kids shows whose original audience are now adults.
I just hope they don’t lose what made Avatar so great by trying to match the tone of other series
— Young OGesus (@FamouzTweets) February 2, 2024
While some acknowledged the presence of mature themes in the original series, fans also emphasized that drawing parallels between a children’s show like Avatar and Game of Thrones has left them puzzled. They are now hoping that the adaptation doesn’t compromise the authenticity of the original series in an attempt to match the tone of other shows.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on February 22, 2024.
