Following in the footsteps of One Piece‘s success, the new adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted on Netflix on 22nd Feb, but unlike the former, it has struggled to appeal to the fans of the IP. But despite not surpassing the bar set by the original show, it was a notable improvement over M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, and it’s reasonable to assume this isn’t the last of it.
With the first season being a massive hit, racking in more than 22.2 million views within just four days after its premiere, it’s safe to say a sequel will be underway soon. And this could allow fan-favorite Mark Hamill to star in the live-action version, who has previously shown interest in working with the IP.
Mark Hamill Can Still Mark His Entrance in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender
While famous for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Mark Hamill has tended to lean towards more villainous gigs when it comes to voicing characters, with the most notable being Joker. But apart from being the best Joker, Hamill has also voiced Fire Lord Ozai in the original Avatar: The Last Airbender. And back in 2019, when asked if he’d love to reprise his part for the live-action adaptation, the BTAS Star responded, “I’m available.”
I'm available.
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) June 14, 2019
Although Daniel Dae Kim was chosen to tackle Ozai in live-action, which was reasonable following his age, the doors aren’t completely closed for Hamill. With Fire Lord Sozin, grandfather to Ozai, making his presence known in a flashback sequence in the first season, Hamill could be the perfect fit to play him in the future season, potentially in a flashback episode. Having Hamill helm the character, which was played by Hiro Kanagawa in season one, would also serve as a great easter egg for fans of the original show.
Mark Hamill Was Proven Wrong About His Predictions for Avatar: The Last Airbender
For a children’s show, Avatar: The Last Airbender was way too smart, as instead of talking down, it talked up to them, eventually making it a great viewing experience for people of all ages. However, Mark Hamill feared that this quality would result in the show getting canceled after four episodes, but was pleasantly surprised by its success. He said (via WIRED)
“I remember reading the first script thinking, ‘This thing’s gonna get canceled in four episodes because it’s too smart.’ And instead, it ran many, many seasons… It was really gratifying to hear that parents liked to watch it with their children. Because it talked up to children rather than talking down to them. It was a very, very smart show.”
Following Hamill’s resume of tackling several villainous figures, it’s not hard to see why he would be perfect to encapsulate the wickedness of the man who started the 100-year war for his own ambitions.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to stream on Netflix.
