The creators of the acclaimed animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, on Thursday unveiled their latest project, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, at San Diego Comic-Con, describing it as a landmark production designed to reward the franchise’s loyal fan base.
The animated fantasy film marks the first feature from Avatar Studios, the production division established by the duo in partnership with Nickelodeon to expand the Avatar universe through new films and television series.
Explaining why they chose to return with a feature-length production, DiMartino said the decision reflected a desire to make a bold comeback.
“We had a lot of ideas for different projects in TV and film,” DiMartino told Reuters. “The idea to start with a feature came more from the studio because if we’re going to come back, we’re going to come back big.”
The pair also announced that the new animated series, Avatar: Seven Havens, will premiere on Paramount+ on October 9. The 26-episode series follows a young Earthbender who discovers she is the next Avatar after Korra in a world devastated by a catastrophic event. Branded humanity’s destroyer rather than its saviour, she must navigate a fractured and dangerous society.
The Comic-Con unveiling comes after a turbulent period for the franchise’s first feature film. In April, the entire movie leaked online after an unidentifiedcancel the film’s planned October 2026 theatrical release and instead debut it on Paramount+, where it is scheduled to premiere on July 25
Konietzko described the leak as a difficult moment for the creative team.
“I woke to the news on a Sunday morning,” he said. “To have this unceremonious, quite rude thing happen was pretty harsh.”
Despite the setback, he expressed confidence in the franchise’s future, crediting its dedicated global fan base for its enduring popularity.
The film features an ensemble voice cast including Eric Nam as Aang, Dave Bautista as the villain Tagah, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, Steven Yeun as Zuko and Dionne Quan as Toph Beifong.
For Matten, portraying Katara carries special significance as an Indigenous actor voicing an Indigenous character.
“It directly impacts my Native community by allowing somebody to have this role,” she said, adding that the opportunity has helped her connect with wider audiences and decision-makers across the entertainment industry.
DiMartino and Konietzko had previously spent two years developing a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender for Netflix before exiting the project in 2020, citing creative differences.
The live-action adaptation eventually premiered in 2024 under showrunner Albert Kim, who led its first season. Jabbar Raisani and Christine Boylan are set to direct the second and third seasons following Kim’s departure in 2024.
The co-creators reunited with Nickelodeon in 2021 to establish Avatar Studios, a dedicated production arm focused on expanding the original franchise with new animated films and series.
