If you’re a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) and Legend of Korra (2012), then I have great news for you. Nickelodeon has officially announced the creation of Avatar Studios which will create new content based around Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra.
New content will include original animated shows and movies that will likely expand on the existing Avatar universe in Avatar: The Last Airbender (A:TLA) and Legend of Korra (LOK). I’m especially excited to see this universe expand because that means an Avatar cinematic universe. I was beyond happy when they announced LOK as a sequel series, but I’m ecstatic that we’re going to be getting a whole slew of new content.
The creation of Avatar Studios comes after both series gained enormous popularity after joining Netflix this past summer. The original creators of A:TLA and LOK, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, will be co-chief creative officers at Avatar Studios.
Also still in the works is the Netflix A:TLA live action series that DiMartino and Konietzko walked away from as showrunners. According to DiMartino, the duo left following ‘Netflix failing to follow their vision for the show.’ Of course, this is a big disappointment for the Netflix show, but I am oh so glad DiMartino and Konietzko will be able to have creative control at Avatar Studios.
The Avatar Studios content is expected to be available for streaming on the new Paramount+ streaming platform. Although Netflix helped boost Avatar’s popularity over the decade-long slump caused by M. Night Shyamalan’s failed movie adaptation, new Avatar content will likely be exclusive to Paramount+ because it needs exclusivity of a franchise to secure its place as a popular streaming service.
In the meantime, if you’re craving more Avatar content, then I would highly recommend the Kyoshi novels: The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi. The books, by F.C. Yee and Michael DiMartino, follow Avatar Kyoshi through her journey as the avatar more than 200 years before Aang’s timeline. There are also A:TLA and LOK comics available that continue the story of each of the shows’ main characters.