Avatar: The Last Airbender has seen a resurgence in its popularity thanks to its recent live-action Netflix adaptation. The iconic animated series is a beloved piece of media and the story of Aang and his friends has resonated with fans over the years. Therefore, it might surprise some to learn that Nickelodeon canned a continuation film focusing on Aang.
The series aired on Nickelodeon for the entirety of its run and was followed up by the spin-off The Legend of Korra. However, the makers initially had planned a continuation of the original series in the form of an animated film. Here is why Nickelodeon could have hit the jackpot had they refrained from shutting down the plans for an Avatar: The Last Airbender film continuation.
Nickelodeon Turned Down Plans for an Avatar: The Last Airbender Sequel in Favor of The Legend of Korra
Avatar: The Last Airbender aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series concluded its run after 52 episodes, bringing the story of Aang to an end. A few years later, the spin-off series The Legend of Korra, set years after the original, premiered in 2012 on Nickelodeon.
According to reports, creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko originally planned to continue Aang’s story in the form of an animated film Avatar: The Search. The duo pitched the film to Nickelodeon while working on the first season of The Legend of Korra. However, the pitch was rejected by the network.
Initially, The Legend of Korra was only planned as a mini-series while the makers intended to revisit Aang’s story. However, Nickelodeon turned down the pitch for the animated film in favor of renewing the spin-off series for additional seasons. The Legend of Korra lasted for four seasons while Avatar: The Search was released as a three-part comic book.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Ended Up Receiving a Sequel Film Anyway
While Avatar: The Search ended up becoming a comic book, fans will get to revisit Aang’s story in a new sequel film. After the formation of Avatar Studios, it was announced in June 2022, that three animated Avatar: The Last Airbender films were in development from the original creators.
The original animated series was a huge draw for Nickelodeon and its series finale reportedly garnered close to 5.6 million viewers back in 2008. Therefore, it is safe to say that the show was approaching the peak of its popularity and the network would have hit the jackpot by commissioning an animated film, which had box office and ratings potential.
In April 2024, the new sequel film was announced to have the working title of Aang: The Last Airbender. Its voice cast was confirmed to include Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista, alongside Eric Nam, Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Roman Zaragoza. It is being directed by Lauren Montgomery, with DiMartino and Konietzko executive producing. Aang: The Last Airbender is currently scheduled for a theatrical release on October 10, 2025.
Avatar: The Last Airbender can be streamed on Netflix and Paramount+.
