The live-action Netflix adaptation ofAvatar: The Last Airbenderjust dropped its first teaser trailer. For months, fans have been clinging to tiny updates that included a glimpse at actors in costume. But now Netflix has just released a teaser trailer with locations and scenes we remember from the animated series, plus our first look at some real bending.
Fans have been worried about the live-action adaptationsince M. Night Shyamalanproduced a film in 2010. Among other problems, the movie was completely whitewashed, ignoring cultural standards that the animated series celebrated. The movie effectively ruined the IP for many of its fans, and since then, it’s been one of the most dangerous properties to consider for live-action. But Netflix’s version ofThe Last Airbenderhas received positive feedback so far. It pays attention to cultural history and employs people of color for the cast.
The teaser traileris understandably short but strikes an emotional note all the same. It carries with it an air of greatness – pun definitely intended. It also reveals a lot about the upcoming live-action series. Fans get to see a bit of what’s to come in a display that eases some worries and seems to capture the spirit ofAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Live-Action Locations and Character Hints
The trailer opens with an image of Sozen’s comet, the great stellar event that occurs every century and the impetus for the animated series. The comet gave the Fire Nation the power to begin their war on the rest of the world. Images of fireballs raining over a peaceful village follow. These are likely the first shots of Sozen’s effort to wipe out the Air Nomads in an attempt to destroy the Avatar.
Over the site of this infamous portent is the voice of the friendly Monk Gyatso (Lim Kay Siu). Aang’s mentor and lifelong friend from before he became trapped in the ice. Although this isn’t confirmed, some fans speculate that the narrator’s line “Always remember who you are,” coupled with the reveal of Aang’s face from the fog, is a good indicator that Gyatso is the one speaking here. What the narrator says are also some wise words that apply very uniquely to Aang’s situation.
As the narrator continues to talk about the nature of time, he says, “Future,” and the trailer reveals a shot ofThe Last Airbender’s iconic iceberg. Though we don’t yet see Aang (Gordon Cormier) frozen inside, this is a good representation of one of the most familiar locations from the animated series. It looks very well adapted to live-action and is easily recognizable. The same can be said for Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley), who are seen standing in front of the iceberg like they were in the first episode ofthe animated series. It’s a good sign that Netflix has made an effort to cast people of color when Shyamalan’s movie didn’t.
The next iconic location we see is the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu. Some may think it’s Ba Sing Se, but you can tell the difference by the sloping paths of Omashu’s earth-bending postal system. Here is where Aang’s oldest friend lives: King Bumi. The hilarious and powerful earthbender will be played by equally comical Utkarsh Ambudkar, known for his roles inThe Mindy ProjectandFree Guy.
Then, we finally get our first look at the Fire Nation. Zuko (Dallas Liu) is saluted by lines of soldiers as he walks between them, and the Fire Lord’s chamber is so close to its counterpart in the animated series that it’s almost cut-and-paste. The world is so well put together that the transition from animation to live-action is almost seamless.
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Bending, Martial Arts, and a Release Date
One character explicitly revealed in this trailer is Suki (Maria Zhang), the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. We see her in full makeup and ceremonial dress as she practices with the other warriors. Their clothes and fighting style are based on the Japanese practice of Aikido. It’s a martial art meant to defeat your opponent without hurting them. The live-action show’s commitment to the traditional style of dress that the Kyoshi Warriors use is another good signNetflix has strivedto fix the errors seen in the 2010 film.
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The bending is also done extremely well. It’s another part of the film that fans were disappointed by. But here, the firebending demonstrated by Zuko’s flaming kick shows the series’ creators have worked hard to preserve the martial arts influence. Fans also spied an image of the fateful Agni Kaibetween Zuko and his father, Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), when the trailer showed a firebender blast a kneeling opponent.
When Aang enters the Avatar state, his arrow doesn’t just glow; runes symbolizing the four elements illuminate themselves along his tattoos. And when that huge blast of air knocks all those masked soldiers back into the village, it’s likely the end of Aang’s first visit to Kyoshi Island. There, he discovers Zuko would always hunt him, and nowhere he went would be safe.
In general, Netflix seems to have done well with the newAvatar: The Last Airbender. They’ve made sure to step carefully over the mistakes of the previous live-action adaptation and made something fans feel generally positive about. Along with that, the trailer came with one more bit of good news: the release date was surprisingly soon. The trailer ended with the reveal “February 22,” which was sooner than anyone expected for the live-action series to be out in 2024. Fans are definitelyexcited for its success.
If you’re interested in fun facts from theAvatar: The Last Airbenderanimated series, check out the video below.
