'Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender' to skip theatrical release, debut directly on streaming
Washington DC, December 24
The film 'Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender' will be skipping the theatrical release and will instead debut directly on the Paramount+ streaming service, reported Variety.
According to the outlet, the cinematic continuation of the popular TV series, previously slated for theatrical release on October 9, will land on the streamer sometime in the fall.
Meanwhile, a new animated television show, 'Avatar: Seven Havens', is set for Paramount+ as the company charts a new future for the franchise that's solely on streaming.
Four seasons of 'The Legend of Korra', the 2010 film 'Avatar: The Last Airbender', as well as the original Nickelodeon show, are already available on Paramount+.
"The Avatar Universe has captivated audiences for two decades, and Paramount+ is proud to be the exclusive streaming home for its beloved animated incarnation," said Jane Wiseman, head of originals for Paramount+, as quoted by Variety.
According to the outlet, 'The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender' and 'Avatar: Seven Havens' represent the next evolution of storytelling from Avatar Studios, bringing together remarkable talent both in front of and behind the camera to deliver the epic adventures and emotional depth fans have come to expect.
Avatar: Seven Havens is, according to the show's description, "set in a world shattered by a devastating cataclysm. A young Earthbender discovers she's the new Avatar after Korra -- but in this dangerous era, that title marks her as humanity's destroyer, not its saviour. Hunted by both human and spirit enemies, she and her long-lost twin must uncover their mysterious origins and save the Seven Havens before civilisation's last strongholds collapse," according to Variety.
Without 'Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender' on its schedule, Paramount has a nearly barren theatrical slate in 2026 that seems void of heavy hitters.
"Primate" is set for January, with "Scream 7" to follow in February, "Scary Movie 6" in June, "PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie" in August, "Street Fighter" in October and "The Angry Birds 3" in December.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a working mom in Mumbai, this is actually great news! 🎉 Getting to the theatre is a whole mission. Now I can watch "Legend of Aang" with my kids at home, pause for chai breaks. Much more practical for Indian family life.
The new show 'Avatar: Seven Havens' sounds fascinating! A world shattered by a cataclysm and an Earthbender Avatar hunted as a destroyer? That's a fresh, darker take. Reminds me of some concepts from our own mythology about cyclical destruction. Looking forward to it.
Paramount+ needs to launch properly in India first! We still don't have easy access. I hope they sort out the distribution or partner with JioCinema/Netflix India. Otherwise, this "exclusive streaming" means nothing to fans here.
After that disappointing live-action movie years ago, I'm just happy they're sticking to animation and continuing the story properly. Direct to streaming is fine by me if it means the creators have more creative freedom. Fingers crossed!
This is the way the industry is going. Theatres are for event films now. For a continuation of a beloved cartoon, streaming makes sense. I'll be watching it the day it drops. The twin storyline in 'Seven Havens' has a lot of potential.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.