Avatar: The Last Airbender remains a beloved series for kids and adults, standing out as a cultural phenomenon resonating across generations. Its top-tier animation, coupled with its thoughtful handling of mature themes like war, loss, and death — all while remaining accessible to younger audiences — has solidified its place as one of the most well-written and beloved animated series of the past two decades.
Following its success, Nickelodeon launched The Legend of Korra as a sequel, further expanding the Airbender universe. The original show laid the groundwork for what has become a sprawling franchise, with numerous new projects in development. The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender is set to grow even further. While Netflix recently premiered a new adaptation, original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko spearhead the franchise’s expansion through films and spin-offs. Here is a closer look at the major projects announced or rumored to be in development.
Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (Live Action)
Release Date
February 22, 2024
Directors
Michael Goi, Roseanne Liang, Jabbar Raisani, Jet Wilkinson
Writers
Albert Kim, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko
Netflix has committed to the live-action remake of the original series, which showrunner Albert Kim brought to the streaming platform. While the first season was met with mixed reviews, a large portion of the fandom appreciated the worldbuilding and the willingness to stay close to the source material. Still, the series proved successful enough for Netflix to move forward with seasons two and three, off of the incredible viewing numbers of the inaugural season.
Production for Season 2 of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently underway, and it is suspected that the season will focus on developing character relationships and may see a deviation from the original story. The release date has yet to be confirmed, but the series is expected to release in late 2025 or early 2026. There are no details yet on Season 3 or a potential timeline.
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Avatar: Seven Havens
Reported release date: TBD
Nickelodeon
First announced with the placeholder title of ‘Earth Avatar Series,’ Avatar: Seven Havens was originally planned for release in 2025. However, the recent announcement of a title for the new series did not include a timeline for release nor details on how far along the process is. Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will serve as co-creators and executive producers on the series. It will consist of two seasons described as ‘Book 1’ and ‘Book 2’ as with previous series in the franchise. DiMartino and Konietzko also had this to say:
“When we created the original series, we never imagined we’d still be expanding the world decades later. This new incarnation of the Avatarverse is full of fantasy, mystery, and a whole new cast of amazing characters. Get ready to take another epic and emotional adventure!”
More details about the story will likely emerge closer to the release date, with the official synopsis now reading: “After a world-shattering disaster, a young Earthbender learns she’s the post-Korra Avatar. Now seen as a harbinger of doom, she and her twin race to save the Seven Havens while pursued by humans and spirits alike.” The new series is expected to stream on Paramount+.
Aang: The Last Airbender
Reported release date: January 2026
Nickelodeon
The animated sequel film Aang: The Last Airbender will bring fans back to the beloved world of Avatar Aang and his friends, now young adults. Set several years after the original series, but before The Legend of Korra, the movie follows their continued journey to restore balance to the world. Originally slated for October 10, 2025, the film has been pushed to January 20, 2026, and is the first in a planned trilogy.
The voice cast, announced at CinemaCon 2024, includes Eric Nam as adult Aang, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, Dionne Quan as Toph, and Dante Basco returning as Fire Lord Zuko. Dave Bautista joins as an unnamed villain. Directed by Lauren Montgomery and co-directed by William Mata, the film is executive produced by original series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, ensuring a faithful continuation of the Avatar legacy.
Zuko Movie
Reported release date: Unconfirmed
Nickelodeon
As initially announced by Avatar News, a standalone movie focusing on Zuko was set to hit theaters in 2026. However, this was last updated in 2023, and with every other series and project seeing a delay and uncertainty as to what the follow-up movies to Aang: The Last Airbender will entail, the status of this project or whether it is still happening is unknown.
However, it is presumed that if the movie still happens, it will be sometime after the 100-Year War. Zuko went through one of the most riveting redemption arcs in the series, from starting as a villain and kidnapping Aang to joining the good fight, so there shouldn’t be any lack of source material. There are also separate comic stories centered on Zuko that could be adapted, such as one following his search for his mother and his struggles in managing the Fire Nation following the war. However, the studio could choose a completely original story instead.
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‘Avatar’ Spinoff Series
Reported release dates: TBD
Details about these projects remain scarce, and the initially announced timeline of these future unnamed spin-offs of 2026 and 2027 is uncertain, with other delays seen in bringing the different projects to life, leaving fans to speculate about their focus within the expanded Avatar universe. While they could feature entirely original stories, many fans have long hoped for adaptations of The Shadow of Kyoshi and The Rise of Kyoshi novels. These books explore the life of Avatar Kyoshi, first introduced in Avatar: The Last Airbender – Book 2: Earth. Known for her anti-heroic traits and willingness to take drastic measures to maintain peace, Kyoshi’s story offers rich material for a series.
Other Avatars also present compelling opportunities for adaptation. The Dawn of Yangchen, a novel released in 2022, delves into the life of the Air Nomad Avatar who preceded Aang. Yangchen’s complex character and unique struggles, which delve into unexplored aspects of Avatar lore, would make for a fascinating television adaptation. That said, plans for these spinoffs remain fluid, and their focus could shift as Avatar Studios continues to develop its projects.
It is apparent that Avatar Studios is working toward building a larger Avatar franchise, with its success hinging on fan reception. With multiple series and films in development, the future looks bright for longtime fans and newcomers to the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe.
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