Top 5 Things Fans Are Hoping To See From The Nextflix Last Airbender Series

When Netflix announced plans to put a new live-action adaption of the beloved 2005 animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, reactions among fans were mixed. After the diabolical attempt back in 2010, the trust between fans and creators was strained to say the least. Scepticism on the project only grew when it was later announced that the original Last Airbender creators, Micheal DiMartino and Brian Konietzko, were leaving the project due to what they referred to as “creative differences”.

However, not everyone has lost hope. There are many fans still willing to give the new Netflix series a fighting chance. Here’s what we’re hoping to see:

1) Racially accurate cast

This one goes without saying. Following the disastrous casting of M. Night Shyamalan’s 2010 adaptation, which took it upon itself to depict Inuit and East Asian inspired characters as white Americans. That said, the recent casting announcements for the Netflix adaptation has been nothing short of exciting so far. With Daniel Dae Kim being the latest to join the live-action cast in the antagonistic role of Firelord Ozai, as announced earlier this month, the lineup thus far has definitely piqued our interest.

2) Sokka’s sense of humour

Characterisation was also a significant issue in Shyamalan’s 2010 adaptation. And let’s be honest, Sokka certainly wasn’t the only one who suffered here. We’re just using him as our prime example as the desolation of his character was perhaps the most overt due to how drastic of a departure it was from the character we know and love. The last thing we want to see is another version whose primary personality trait is being a stick in the mud. That said, we also don’t want to see it going too far the other way. Our original Sokka is an exemplary comic relief character because he’s so much more. A witty, sarcastic goofball written with a million layers of emotional depth, it would be heartbreaking to see him (and every other character) again stripped down to a two-dimensional archetype. Hopefully, the Netflix adaptation will show these characters the love they deserve - fingers crossed!

3) Good cinematography

The Avatar Universe is fantastical, to say the least. From the faithful material arts-based choreography and flamboyant bending displays to the brightly coloured elemental regalia and splendidly diverse locations, there’s no doubting that a good portrayal of the Avatar world would be a tall order for any cinematographer to take on. And thanks to previous attempts, we know all too well what it shouldn’t look like. On the bright side, though, thanks to the reception of previously failed attempts, it’s highly likely that the crew on this one are well aware of what they’ve taken on.

4) Respect for the source material

Don’t get us wrong here; we’re so open to the series exploring new facets of the story that we maybe missed out on the first time around due to time constraints. That said, though, we want to recognise the characters and their journey to some degree. We’re excited to see s new spin on the story we know and love, not a story inhabitant by strangers that’s different altogether.

5) A labour of love

At the end of the day, we want the cast and crew to care. Unfortunately, when it comes to big franchises, complacency is common in sequels and spin-offs. Just because a franchise already has a wealth of loving fans, it doesn’t mean they’ll automatically adore whatever said franchise puts out, and thanks to previous misfires from the Avatar Universe, the position for the Netflix live-action adaptation is particularly fragile. As with all things, though, fans are more than happy to give this new rendition a chance. If the new creators treat it with the love it deserves, there’s a very high chance of it being one hell of a hit!