Nickelodeon is going to launch Avatar Studios, a division designed to create original content which will be based in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The new studios will be in-charge of producing and creating new movies and animated series based on the world-famous Nickelodeon franchise. The original creators and executive producers Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will return to run the studio as co-chief creative officers, reporting to Ramsey Naito, the President of Nickelodeon Animation. The Avatar Studios produced content is set to run on multiple platforms such as Paramount+, Nickelodeon and other third-party platforms and theatrical releases, subtly throwing shade towards Netflix (we think).
Back in 2018, both Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were set to serve as executive producers and showrunners for Netflix’s upcoming live-action adaptation series of Avatar: The Last Airbender. But by August of 2020, both DiMartino and Konietzko departed from the show, due to creative differences with the Netflix team. This most likely happened (we think) because the Netflix team wanted to change the age of Katara to make her 16 years old instead of 14 – hence her brother Sokka becoming the younger sibling at 15 years (age unchanged). And the only possible reason we think that Katara’s age is being changed in the live-action series is so that Zuko will end up in a relationship with Katara, instead of Aang (whose age also will remain the same at 12 years old).
This change would mean that there would be huge differences in the Legend of Korra live-action version, if they even planned on making it; making the live action version Avatar: The Last Airbender non-canon, or set in an alternate universe. Of course many fans wanted Katara and Zuko to be in a relationship, but the creators eventually stuck with their original storyline, and the “Zutara” only existed in fanfictions. It makes sense that the original creators are not part of the show, as this was not the story they had initially made.
Netflix re-ignited people’s interest in Avatar: The Last Airbender thanks to it dropping on the streaming platform world-wide, and The new Avatar Studios is taking advantage of all the fanfair and is planning to start the production of their first new animated film this year. We await for more news patiently and hopefully both Netflix and Avatar Studios will produce some brilliant content.
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