Remember the world seemed to be binge-watching “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “Legend of Korra” while stuck in quarantine? Now, new and old fans alike can look forward to original content coming soon to the “Avatar” universe.
On Feb. 24, Nickelodeon announced that they would be creating a new division, Avatar Studios, dedicated to continuing the stories within the world established by the Gaang in the original series.
After being released on Netflix last year, the “Avatar” series received a surge in popularity, with many people rewatching or watching for the first time during the pandemic.
At first, this new interest culminated in the announcement of a live-action remake produced by Netflix, which was met generally well due to the involvement of the original creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. However, when DiMartino and Konietzko left the project suddenly, much of the attention left with them.
Still riding on a wave of excitement for the series — especially after the second resurgence once “Legend of Korra” was released on Netflix months later — fans have been promised much more new content back home on Nickelodeon. There is buzz once again about which directions this new studio will take, and whose stories it will tell.
However, the unexpected announcement also came with apprehension. Some fans have questioned whether new stories need to be added, considering how neatly the finale of “Avatar” finished the plotlines of all of the original characters. There is hope that new content could help tie up loose ends from the generally unsatisfying end to “Legend of Korra,” but some fans are wary after the mistreatment of “Korra” by Nickelodeon for having a queer female main character.
With so much left unsaid by everyone involved, there is much uncertainty on how to feel about upcoming additions to the beloved universe. The hope is that the content will be much truer to the heart of the show than the flop of a live-action movie, at least, thanks to the ties to DiMartino and Konietzko.
All in all, it’s safe to say that fans are on the edges of their seats awaiting the reveal of more information about the direction of these projects.
