In just a few days, the wait is finally over for fantasy fans as Netflix releases Avatar: The Lord of the Elements as a major remake of the popular original.
With Avatar: The Lord of the Elements, a fantasy event that the streaming service has been preparing for a long time is set to launch on Netflix in just a few days. Based on the animated series of the same name, which aired from 2005 to 2008, a boy with magical abilities rebels against the oppression of his world.
Netflix delivers a massive fantasy remake with Avatar: Lord of the Elements
Aang (Gordon Cormier) is the Avatar, which in his world means he has special powers: As a so-called tamer, he can control the elements of water, earth, fire and air and thus keep his fantasy world in balance. At least in theory.
Unfortunately, Aang has spent the last 100 years in involuntary cryogenic sleep. And when he wakes up, the fire nation has subjugated all the other continents. With the siblings Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Gordon Cormier) of the southern water tribe, the young airbender plans to learn to master the other elements in order to put an end to the reign of terror of the fire lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But his outcast son Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) follows on the Avatar’s heels to capture him in the Netflix series
Watch the latest trailer for Netflix’s Avatar: Lord of the Elements here
Netflix has splashed out a budget of 120 million US dollars to breathe “real” life into the globally beloved animated series Avatar as a live-action adventure. More than five years after the project was first announced, the fantasy series is finally here. Avatar starts on Thursday, February 22, 2024, with all eight episodes on Netflix.
Can Netflix’s Avatar series make us forget M. Night Shyamalan’s movie?
Avatar’s series creator Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow) is not the first to tackle a remake of the popular fantasy. Twist master M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) made The Legend of Aang in 2010 – with the twist that the cinematic adventure flopped with audiences and critics.
Although The Legend of Aang (originally The Last Airbender) doubled its 150-dollar budget with worldwide takings of 319 million dollars according to Box Office Mojo, its 4.4 rating on Moviepilot is a clear statement. The critic and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes (only 5% and 30% respectively) speak volumes about what the world thought of this first failed live-action adaptation with descriptions such as “emotionless”, “CGI-overloaded” and “cobbled together”.
The fantasy film was not followed by a sequel. Netflix can now change that after the reboot with a possible 2nd season of Avatar, especially since showrunner Albert Kim told Fandomwire that he “intentionally never saw” the first film remake.
(Avatar’s Netflix reboot takes off with aerial bison Appa)
Netflix’s new Avatar series was not immune to criticism regarding changes to the original, such as Sokka’s scaled-back machismo. However, the first long trailer convinced many fans that their anticipation for the new edition could be justified. The comparison of the Avatar characters with their cartoon role models has already revealed striking similarities, promising a fantasy feast with great characters. Next Thursday, fans will be able to make their final judgment
