Nickelodeon Expanding the AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Franchise with Multiple Animated Shows and Films
Not long ago, Nickelodeon announced that they launched Avatar Studios, which is a division designed to create more original Avatar: The Last Airbender content that would expand the franchise with more animated shows and films.
The first project of the studio is an animated theatrical film that is being led by the original series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It’s set to start production later this year. Nickelodeon president Brian Robbins recently opened up a bit on the plans for the franchise beyond this first film that has been announced, saying:
“We are in the early stages of developing and exploring what we are calling an entire Avatar Airbender universe. Mike and Bryan are hard at work, and I think that universe will encompass definitely a theatrical film, animation, certainly multiple TV series and probably multiple films. I think we will be ready very soon to tell the world what is coming first but we are not there yet because we’re in early stages of creative development.”
There are already two wonderful shows out there: Nickelodeon’s 2005 Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. These shows have reached a whole new generation of young fans thanks to Netflix.
Netflix currently has a new original live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series that’s in development, but it’s being done without the involvement of creators DiMartino and Konietzko. This series is not part of Avatar Studios, that deal was made before all of that was put into place.
It’s also explained that Avatar Studios is designed to supply third-party platforms and create movies for theatrical release. Robbins said:
“We are excited about filling our own platforms today. We will strategically license context to other places for different reasons but mostly our focus is on filling our own platforms starting with linear TV.”
I’ve excited for the future of the Avatar franchise. I think there are going to be some great things that come of it, especially with the involvement of the creators.