With its 2005 debut, Avatar: The Last Airbender—a longtime Nickelodeon mainstay—transported viewers to a magical realm in which the four elements were symbolized. This show told the story of Aang, the titular Avatar with the ability to control all elements, and it did so with a lot of heart, rich characters, and fascinating world-building. That is why many people consider Avatar: The Last Airbender to be among the greatest children’s television programs ever.
To show how popular Avatar has grown over time, a franchise based on the show has been developed. In addition to co-creating the 2012 sequel series The Legend of Korra (TLOK) with Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko also wrote a number of comics that were based on the episodes.
The two stated in 2021 that they already had plans in place for their next Avatar-related endeavors. But their statement was just fanning the flames, given the polarizing response to The Legend of Korra.
Mapping Out the Future: Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators’ Next Big Moves?
Back in 2021, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender, hinted that they had enough material ideas to keep the franchise going. They said they were “working hard” on new stories, according to DiMartino, who made this comment on Braving the Elements podcast (via EW). He further added:
“We’re overseeing the whole franchise, so it’s going to take a while before new stuff starts percolating out there.”
They must be proud to have created something that fans regard as the “perfect show”. Konietzko replied:
“That blows me away—there’s so much that I would fix.”
Together with DiMartino, Konietzko claimed to have developed a “very ambitious, multi-tiered” plan to explore the “big, rich, largely untapped history and future in the Avatar world”. Later in the podcast, he stated that all of these “projects [have] their own feeling”, distinct appearance, and unique tone, which will make them all feel true to the Avatar universe.
However, he noted that
“They will all be very different expressions of it so it will really deepen it and expand it.”
In addition to things that are still being ironed out, Konietzko said, there were ideas that the two have been excited about for a while. According to DiMartino, Nickelodeon has given the two “unprecedented support”, and near the end of the podcast, he hinted:
“We have all the ideas and ideally we’re going to get to, over the years, explore all of them and get to make them, but it’ll take some time. If we make all this stuff, you guys will just be podcasting for about the next 20 years or so.”
However, given how unexpectedly The Legend of Korra has been received, their statement may simply add fuel to the fire. For those who are unfamiliar, the animated fantasy action TV series is a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which follows the next Avatar after Aang.
Why Is The Legend of Korra Unpopular Among Fans?
The Legend of Korra (TLOK), a spin-off series, was introduced to Nickelodeon by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, four years after their Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) finale aired on the network (2008).
The Legend of Korra was incredibly divisive among Avatar: The Last Airbender fans (per Gamerant). To some extent, that makes sense. It is quite obvious why people would never want to see Korra as being on par with Aang. With his relatable tale of rags to riches, Aang was an aspirational young Airbender. However, also note The Legend of Korra’s current Rotten Tomatoes average rating is 89%.
Now that the creators have hinted at future projects, it remains to be seen if they will continue down the same path with more divisive content. Will they stick to the tried-and-true formula of Avatar: The Last Airbender, or will they take bold risks like in The Legend of Korra?
Netflix has Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra available for streaming.
