Showrunner unveils major change in Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix adaptation
Showrunner unveils major change in Avatar: The Last Airbender Netflix adaptation. Showrunner Albert Kim and other members of the production have shared details about adjustments and modifications that fans can expect in the Netflix adaptation.
By Megan Sauer
Anticipation for the upcoming live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix is reaching peak levels as the release date approaches.
However, recent statements from showrunner Albert Kim have revealed several significant changes that distinguish this version from the original animated series.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kim discussed how the live-action adaptation has faced the challenge of the actors’ growth and how this has led to a major alteration to the series’ timeline.
In the original animated series, all seasons take place within the span of a year, which is reflected in the plot and key events such as the arrival of Sozin’s Comet.
However, in the Netflix live-action adaptation, this time structure has been altered to accommodate the physical growth of the young actors playing the main characters.
Kim revealed that, rather than keeping the narrative to one year, the series has been designed to allow for the possibility of time passing between the first and second seasons, to accommodate any changes in the actors’ ages.
“The three seasons of the animated series basically take place over the course of one calendar year,” Kim explained. “There was no way we could do that.
So we designed this first season, especially, to accommodate the possibility of some time passing between the first and second seasons.”
This decision has led to the temporary removal of Sozin’s Comet as a key plot element, as it served as a “countdown clock” in the animated series. Kim noted that by removing this element, the live-action series can better accommodate the cast’s potential physical and age changes in future seasons.
While this change in the timeline is the most notable yet, Kim and other members of the production have also shared details about other adjustments and modifications that fans can expect in the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
One of the most notable changes is the removal of sexism from the character of Sokka, which was a major characteristic in the original animated series.
In the animated series, Sokka often made sexist comments that have been the subject of discussion in fan communities.
However, in the live adaptation, it has been decided to remove this characteristic of the character to reflect a more modern and considered perspective.
This decision seeks to give Sokka a more up-to-date representation and remove elements that might not resonate well with contemporary audiences.
In addition to these changes, Kim also revealed that the live-action series will explore more mature and complex narratives compared to the original animated series.
Seasons 2 and 3 of the live-action adaptation are designed to be more mature in theme, reflecting the creative team’s desire to appeal to a more diverse audience and expand the scope of the story.
“It’s about finding that right balance between being true to the DNA of the original while also making it a serialized Netflix drama,” Kim told IGN.
“The narrative is being obtained from the two and three-dimensional formats.
It will lead the story to exciting places by filling some gaps.”
Despite these changes and adjustments, Kim emphasized that the live-action adaptation remains an homage to the original animated series and that the main goal is to keep the essence and spirit of the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender intact.
The series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on February 22, 2024, and fans will be eager to see how these changes and adjustments will affect the narrative and world of the live-action series.
