The Avatar universe is expanding. Variety reports that beloved children’s network Nickelodeon launches a newly formed division, Avatar Studios dedicated to creating content around Avatar: The Last Airbender and The legend of Korra. Original series creators and executive producers Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who left Netflix’s live action Avatar: The Last Airbender remake due to creative differences, the division will lead as co-chief creative officers under Ramsey Naito, president of Nickelodeon Animation. The content of Avatar Studios will appear on Paramount +, Nickelodeon’s linear and digital platforms, as well as third-party platforms and in theaters.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra has become popular since their original hit on Nickelodeon became at least ten times popular, and Ramsey Naito and I are incredibly excited to have Mike and Bryan’s ingenious talent on board to lead a studio dedicated to expanding their characters and world in new content and formats. for fans everywhere, ”says Brian Robbins, president of ViacomCBS Kids & Family. “Creator-driven stories and characters have long been the hallmarks of Nickelodeon, and Avatar Studios is a way to give Mike and Bryan the means and track to open their imaginations even deeper and deeper into the action and mythology of Avatar as we simultaneously expand the world and the world of content available on Paramount + and Nickelodeon. ”
The first project under Avatar Studios is an original theater film that will begin production this year. For the uninitiated, Avatar: The Last Air Bender competed for three seasons on Nickelodeon from February 2005 to July 2008 and won a Peabody and Primetime Emmy Award. The series was turned into a very bad M. Night Shyamalan movie, a successful graphic novel, and had its own live-action remake on Netflix. The legend of Korra, 70 years later in the Avatar world The Last Air Bender, debuted in 2012 and ran for four seasons on Nickelodeon. I hope James Cameron gets no ideas for his own Avatar Studios.