Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026)

​“Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” stars Eric Nam, Dave Bautista, Jessica Matten, Román Zaragoza, Steven Yeun, Dionne Quan, Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Freida Pinto, and Ke Huy Quan.  Released on Paramount+ on July 25, 2026, the film follows Aang and his team as they search for a powerful staff.

The film was directed by Lauren Montgomery, a storyboard artist known for her involvement with several direct-to-video features and television shows, including “Avatar: The Last Airbender".  She also directed films such as “Superman: Doomsday”, “Batman: Year One”, and “Justice League: Doom”.  It is a continuation of the animated television series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.  When someone asks how Nickelodeon became one of the pioneers of kids' programming and animation, they would reply with titles like “Rugrats”, “SpongeBob SquarePants”, and many others from the 1990s.  For others, the one series that made Nickelodeon a household name alongside Disney and Cartoon Network was “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.  With its stellar animation, lovable characters, and great storytelling, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” became a prime example of all-ages entertainment, shaping our perspectives on animation as a medium.  While perceived as another cartoon for kids, “The Last Airbender” packed plenty of mature themes and emotional depth to delight older audiences, not just children.

Its success spawned a franchise that would eventually lose its footing, thanks to Paramount’s recent mishandling of the IP.  While we did have “The Legend of Korra”, which is as good as Aang’s coming-of-age journey, we also had some clunkers that lacked most, if not all, of the core ingredients of the original.  That includes M. Night Shyamalan’s cinematic take on the series and the ongoing live-action series on Netflix, which I thought was a decent improvement over the former.  Unfortunately for us fans, that bad luck hasn’t improved with Paramount’s formation of Avatar Studios, which sought to revive the brand for fans and newcomers through upcoming projects.  The first of many to come is a cinematic continuation of the original show, featuring a much older Team Avatar on another thrilling adventure to maintain peace among the four nations.  It was supposed to be one of the most anticipated films of the year for fans of “Avatar” and animation, but that was until Paramount decided to ship it to Paramount+ instead because it thought “PAW Patrol”, out of all the brands, is worth seeing in theaters.  It doesn’t help that the online leaks made the decision even worse, not just for us but also for those who worked really hard to bring this project to life.  

Of course, to top it all off, Paramount decided to dump the film on the streaming service sooner than expected, as a belated response to the hackers responsible for leaking it early.  While it was nice of us to see Aang’s return early, everything that’s happened before basically killed our anticipation before the film even came out.  Regarding the low box-office numbers, business decisions, and marketing, it’s certainly the case of Paramount’s mistreatment of its current animation lineup compared to other studios like DreamWorks and Pixar.  Regardless, that hasn’t stopped my eagerness to return to the franchise I grew up watching, even if it’s not on the big screen as it was originally intended.  With that said, let’s see if this latest continuation has the power of the Avatar State to meet our expectations.

The story takes place thirteen years after the events of “The Last Airbender”.  Aang (Nam), the current Avatar and the last living Air Nomad, has successfully brought peace to the Four Nations with the help of his friends, Katara (Matten), Sokka (Zaragoza), Zuko (Yeun), and Toph (Quan).  However, despite the tranquility he brought to the land, Aang has yet to achieve peace of his own, living with the regret of being the only Airbender left alive.  That all changes when he discovers another Airbender frozen in ice named Tagah (Bautista), who tells him of an ancient staff that could restore the Air Nomad society.  This leads Aang and Team Avatar on another exhilarating global quest to find the staff and heal his inner torment.  They would also have to battle a villainous group known as the Denied, who seek to claim the relic and use its power to dominate the world.

I’m obviously one of the folks who appreciates “The Last Airbender”, even upon my second viewing when it was on Netflix.  I also thought “Korra” and the current live-action adaptation on Netflix were pretty solid expansions of the series that left an impressive cultural impact.  The one by M. Night Shyamalan?  Well, I’ll let you take a guess at what I thought of that version.  That alone was enough for me to get excited about “Avatar Aang”, which was supposed to be the first theatrical film in the franchise since the 2010 adaptation, until Paramount screwed us over.  Of course, I refused to watch the leaked version of the movie beforehand, so I could fully support its official release and experience its artistry with fresh eyes.  Unsurprisingly, I made the right call, but the question worth answering is whether the wait in doing so was worth it quality-wise.  That answer is a resounding yes.  Regarding its presentation, themes, and character moments, “Avatar Aang” is a welcoming and entertaining reunion with Team Avatar that's filled with dynamic flair and subtle emotion that reminds us why we love the series in the first place.  However, I wouldn’t consider it to be on the same level as Pixar or Studio Ghibli in terms of story execution.

One of the main aspects that made “Avatar: The Last Airbender” a classic isn’t just the animation style, but rather its blend of kid-friendly appeal and mature themes, particularly for Aang’s journey.  He not only had to take responsibility as the new Avatar, but he must do so while confronting his survivor’s guilt, which stemmed from him running away from his duties before the Air Nomads’ destruction.  It’s some pretty heavy stuff for a Nickelodeon show that’s seemingly aimed towards children, but it’s portrayed in a way that both kids and adults can relate to and even appreciate.  This theme continues with “Avatar Aang”, with Aang still feeling overwhelmed with grief over his past actions until he’s given the opportunity to bring air-bending back.  However, his actions could lead him to make the ultimate decision to retain the peace he fought hard to get.  It’s the subtle thematic nuance in the “Last Airbender” franchise that helped me appreciate it for what it was, mainly the original show that started it all.  When combined with its physical comedy, notably the anime-like character expressions and charm, it amounts to another consistently fun and heartfelt adventure for families that highlights the true meaning of peace.

That being said, while the themes it represented are sublime, how it portrayed them narrative-wise is another story.  The screenplay by Tim Hedrick and Christopher Yost offered plenty of promising aspects that could’ve made its thematic impact as powerful as the Avatar State.  One notable example is the bond between Aang and Tagah, where both sought a common goal of peace but through different methods, notably when it came to power and even revenge.  Unfortunately, the film didn’t really take the time to explore them fully due to its inconsistent pacing and minimal world-building.  The film is around 100 minutes long, which is common for most animated movies, but the pacing felt shorter than that.  Instead of balancing its narrative flow with the visuals, “Avatar Aang” lets the presentation do the talking, with the story taking a back seat for most of the trip.  Additionally, with Tagah’s hatred of the Earth Nation playing a role in the journey, the film would’ve benefited greatly if Toph had been given more to do.  Not only was she well voiced by Dionne Quan, the voice of Kimi from “Rugrats”, but she was also one of the best parts of the film for her humor, personality, and action scenes.  So it was a shame that the movie missed that opportunity.

Another aspect of the story I found pretty underwhelming was the Denied, a group of non-benders seeking to gain power through an ancient staff.  They also played a role in Aang’s struggle with his past actions, but they don’t seem much of a threat compared to the movie’s actual antagonist.  If you watched the leaked version, you’ll know who I’m referring to.  If not, I won’t spoil the reveal so you can get the full experience.  This opposing group certainly has moments in their development, mainly for one of the members, Kallik (Viswanathan), but again, the pacing didn’t give the movie enough time to fully realize that potential.  Lauren Montgomery, the film’s director, definitely deserves credit for showcasing the thrills and stylization of specific sequences, notably the element-based action.  Given her experience with the animated DC direct-to-video films and “The Last Airbender” show, it’s no surprise that she was a decent choice in bringing the hard-hitting, heart-pounding excitement into the world of “Avatar”.  But when it comes to her approach to the narrative, Montgomery felt pretty restricted by the given length, which limited the film's ability to fully expand on its themes.  However, even with those limitations, there’s still some joy to be had in Aang’s quest for peace, and the heart still exists well enough to draw me into its continuous journey.

While it’s a shame that the original cast from the series didn’t return for “Avatar Aang”, the new actors voicing Team Avatar did a respectable job conveying the charisma and spirit of these characters.  Their efforts to convey genuine emotion in their dialogue were surprisingly underwhelming at times, but aside from that, the cast ensured they carried the team’s legacy with pride and respect.  Eric Nam was a solid choice in voicing Aang, highlighting the character’s balance of maturity and silliness, as well as his internal struggle within himself.  This also happened to be Nam’s second film role, following 2014’s “Transplant”, aside from his being one of South Korea’s most recognizable figures.  With his upcoming role in “K-Pop: The Debut” on the way, it should be interesting to see if Nam can also become a superstar in Hollywood.  Dave Bautista also delivered some decent moments in his performance as Tagah, especially in his grief and rage over what happened to his people.  But as I said, the direction for the vocal performances kept those specific emotions from being genuine and raw, which is a shame given my appreciation for Bautista as an actor.  I would also give some of the supporting cast credit for providing fun comedy amid its mature moments, including Román Zaragoza as Sokka and Ke Huy Quan as Avatar Xian.

Finally, we have the film’s animation, which is obviously the reason why it definitely deserves the previously planned theatrical treatment.  The animation is produced by three companies: Flying Bark Productions, Studio Mir, and Studio Ppuri, with the former two being well-known for producing shows like “The Legend of Korra” and “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”.  With these studios in charge, I had no doubt they would cook with the style of “Avatar Aang”, especially in feature-length form, and I was right.  The art designs for the movie’s environments are absolutely stunning, especially when combined with the scope of Damon O’Beirne’s cinematography.  Additionally, the lighting and vibrant color palettes flawlessly match the usual anime-inspired presentation seen in the “Last Airbender” series, notably the physical comedy, capturing the cinematic feel of its small scale to its fullest intent.  However, what really set the bar high was the combination of 2D hand-drawn animation and CGI environments, stemming from Deep Canvas technology, which had previously been used by Disney for films like “Tarzan” and “Treasure Planet”.  They both flow together seamlessly, not just for the character moments but also the stylized action.  In a way, it’s almost akin to watching an episode of “The Last Airbender” but in a cinematic format.  Given my experience with the show, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Overall, “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” boasts a decent harmony between story and presentation to deliver a consistently entertaining reunion between Team Avatar and the franchise’s fans.  Regarding the scope and visual dynamics, it’s hard to ignore that its switch from a theatrical to a streaming release was a massive slap in the face for us, both as "Avatar" lovers and as supporters of animation.  Regardless, this is a worthy continuation of Aang’s saga that retains the action, humor, and heart the original show is known for, while also providing a clear example of the effort and passion put into the art of animation.  It doesn’t quite master all of its power to highlight its thematic depth and characters within its narrative flow, leaving its awe-inspiring visuals to do the heavy lifting.  But as a supporter of the Nickelodeon franchise, I was nonetheless satisfied with its attempt to continue Aang's legend, even though it would’ve been a lot nicer to see it on the big screen.  Hopefully, with enough support, we could see it expand into more theaters beyond its awards-qualifying run.  If you’re a fan of “The Last Airbender”, it is definitely worth watching, though don’t expect it to be on the same narrative levels as other great animated films.

B-