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10 Pop Culture Juggernauts that are 20 years old in 2025

2005 was a big year for pop culture. Twilight, Supernatural, and Percy Jackson are among the epic series celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. These pieces of media redefined what fandom and popular culture meant when they were released and continue to do so to this day.

Expanding beyond text, television, and film, these pop culture phenomena that turned 20 created a legacy that continues to draw in fans to date, with growing online fandoms and conventions.

Twilight (Book) Date of release: October 5, 2005 Creator: Stephanie Meyer

Plot: When Meyer wrote the first draft about a vampire falling in love with a human based on a dream,...

The creators of Avatar: The Last Airbenderhave offered a surprising revelation regarding how much work they did -- without Nickelodeon ever realizing it.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the Avatar: Braving the Elementspodcast, hosted by voice actors Dante Basco (Zuko) and Janet Varney (Korra), franchise creators Mike Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko explained the behind-the-scenes drama that went on during the development and production of The Legend of Korra. Surprisingly, much of it came from the relative lack of oversight on Nickelodeon's part. As Konietzko explained, "It was weird... [Nickelodeon] greenlit Book One [of The Legend of Korra] before they even talked to us. Before there was even an idea.

The original creators of Avatar: The Last Airbenderand its official sequel series, The Legend of Korra, have explained why the latter series suffered such an unusually long gap between seasons.

During an appearance on the latest episode of the Avatar: Braving the Elementspodcast, franchise creators Mike Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko opened up about the behind-the-scenes issues that led to the more than year-long gap between the first two seasons of The Legend of Korra. When the subject of the comparative lack of filler in The Legend of Korra came up, Konietzko touched on how the difference between producing 12 episodes per season of The Legend of Korra and 20 episodes for Avatar: The Last Airbender...

The biggest star of Avatar: The Legend of Korrahas broken down exactly where the creators of the series wanted it to go -- and why it was so much darker than its predecessor, especially for the family-friendly Nickelodeon.

During the most recent episode of the Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast, voice star Janet Varney, who portrayed Korra in the hit animated series, explained what franchise creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko were looking to accomplish in terms of tone with The Legend of Korra. "There was real sophistication to the storytelling in Avatar: The Last Airbender," Varney said while discussing the series with co-host and fellow voice star Dante Basco and guests,...

One original Avatar: The Last Airbender star believes that he could reappear in the franchise someday. While Netflix is currently continuing its live-action Avatar remake, original creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko are looking to reinvent the franchise. They are developing a sequel show, prequel and sequel movies, and other examples of new content.

Avatar Kyoshi is set to lead a movie of her own, as will an adult Aang. Fire Lord Zuko (Dante Basco) will also have the chance to lead a standalone movie in his own right. The most prominent production, however, is Avatar: Seven Havens, which will explore a devastated world in which the new Earth Avatar is desperate to correct her predecessor's mistakes.

At the Avatar: The Last Airbender 20th Anniversary panel at Fan Expo Chicago, which was moderated by ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier, Basco discussed Seven Havens and other future prospects. While he did...

Avatar: The Last Airbenderfans have finally gotten their first full look at a major upcoming collaboration set to release this November.

The official trailer for the upcoming Magic: The Gathering - Avatar: The Last Airbender set was recently released to the delight of fans of both franchises worldwide. The trailer begins with the classic tagline from the original Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series before giving fans a look at cards like Aang's Iceberg, Aang's Journey and Avatar Aang, as well as numerous takes on fan-favorite characters like Katara, Zuko, Toph, and Sokka.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Fans Get First Trailer Release for New Magic: The Gathering Crossover

Fans have been eagerly awaiting previews for Magic: The Gathering - Avatar: The Last Airbender since the set was announced, with previous reveals leaving the details of new mechanics like Waterbend, Firebend, Airbend and Earthbend completely up to speculation. With the release...

The Legend of Aang is a brand new chapter in the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise. The animated movie will serve as a follow-up to the Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko series and is set to follow Aang, the titular Last Airbender, on a new adventure.

The upcoming movie will take place during Aang and his friends’ young adult years, making it quite distinctive from the original series. A new voice cast is all set to bring Aang and his friends back to life, with the characters’ ethnic background in mind. Actor Dave Batista is also joining the cast as the movie’s unnamed villain.

Nonetheless, fans must be excited to catch up with their favorite characters, and here is everything you need to know about The Legend of Aang, including its release date, cast, and plot details.

When Does The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender Release? The...

After months of speculation and fan theories swirling online, the mystery has finally been solved. We finally know who Steven Yeun is playing in the highly anticipated The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender movie, and it’s a reveal that’s taking fans by surprise.

Back in March 2025, Paramount Pictures announced that Yeun would be part of the cast for the new animated film. However, at that time, they did not reveal which character he would be portraying. So while fans knew Yeun was involved, his specific role remained a mystery.

Many fans speculated that Yeun would reprise his role as Avatar Wan in the upcoming movie. He had voiced the same character in The Legend of Korra. But instead, this new announcement reveals that he’s playing a much different character. One that fans of the original animated series know and love.

Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko,...

It's been 20 years since "Avatar: The Last Airbender" revolutionized TV, and now the franchise is expanding. We've had comics and novels for a while now, with fantastic stories that expand the world of "Avatar" and paint a picture of different eras and different reincarnations of the titular master of all four elements. But now we're going back to the screen, both big and small, with a new sequel series as well as a movie, "The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender."

Directed by Lauren Montgomery, who worked as a storyboard artist in season 3 of the show, and then as a supervising producer on the entirety of "The Legend of Korra," details on "The Legend of Aang" are scarce, but we do know it is a set after the original series, but before "Korra," following the main cast as young adults. Studio Mir will return to work on the animation alongside Flying Bark Productions,...

"Hello, Zuko here," is what a new actor will be saying in the upcoming The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender movie. The film was announced earlier this year, and fans are incredibly excited to be reunited with Aang and the rest of Team Avatar when they're adults. We've already seen past their era in the sequel series, The Legend of Korra (set after Aang's death), but The Legend of Aang will bring years' worth of fan art to life by depicting Aang as an adult Avatar. Along with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko will all be making an appearance in the film, but the latter might sound a little bit different than how fans initially remember him. After spending three seasons desperately trying to reclaim his honor by capturing the Avatar, a new actor is taking over the role for the upcoming film.

IGN spoke to the creators...

The Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise will continue with the upcoming animated movie The Legend of Aang. Directed by Lauren Montgomery, the movie is a continuation of the Nickelodeon animated series and will follow Aang and his friends during their teenage years.

Creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko were present at the San Diego Comic-Con 2025 to promote the upcoming movie, where they confirmed Steven Yeun will be voicing the Fire Nation Prince Zuko (via IGN). However, Yeun’s casting as Zuko means his previous role in the franchise is being retconned, and here is everything you need to know about it.

Steven Yeun’s Forgotten Role in The Legend of Korra Explained

Actor Steven Yeun rose to prominence with the role of Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead. However, Yeun also has a prolific voice acting career, having voiced Mark Grayson in the smash-hit Amazon Prime animated series Invincible.

Avatar: The Last Airbender has found its new Zuko. At San Diego Comic Con 2025, the co-creators of Nickelodeon's smash anime-inspired franchise revealed who will play the young adult version of the former Fire Prince, now Fire Lord.

In an interview with IGN, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, the co-creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender, announced at San Diego Comic Con that Steven Yeun, best known for his roles in The Walking Dead and Invincible, will play Zuko in The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender Movie. He will inherit the role from the previous actor, Dante Basco, who played Zuko in all three seasons of the original Avatar series. However, this will not be Yeun's debut in the Avatar world, as he previously played Wan, the first canonical Avatar user in the series. Yeun was among the voice actors initially announced for The Legend of Aang, but...

It's been no secret that the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender was being overhauled for the Gaang's new feature-length adventure, The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. One role that was conspicuously left empty, though, was that of the fan-favorite Zuko — Aang's rival turned friend and fire-bending teacher who would go on to take his villainous father Ozai's (Mark Hamill) place as the Fire Lord. Although there was initially some speculation that Dante Basco would simply reprise the role, it's been confirmed that the actor taking up the mantle has, technically, been known this whole time. Series creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko confirmed in an interview with IGN at San Diego Comic-Con that Steven Yeun, who was announced to be joining the sequel film in an unknown role back in March, will be voicing the now-adult Zuko when the sequel film arrives in 2026.

Yeun's role as...

Nickelodeon marked two decades of Avatar: The Last Airbender with a celebration at San Diego Comic-Con, drawing nearly 5,000 fans to Ballroom 20 for a panel packed with surprises and sneak peeks into the future of the Avatar-verse, including Avatar: Seven Havens. The panel was moderated by Janet Varney (the voice of Korra).

A curtain-raising tribute video honoring 20 years of Avatar fandom was shown, spotlighting iconic moments from the series and tracing its journey from the Comic-Con pilot debut to the show’s rise as a cultural phenomenon.

Mae Whitman (voice of Katara) shared a heartfelt video expressing her deep gratitude for being part of Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s 20th anniversary, reflecting on growing up with the show and her excitement to one day share it with her own child.

The panel included a reunion of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender voice cast, including Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack De Sena...

Nickelodeon revealed the highly anticipated next installment in its anime-inspired action series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, at San Diego Comic Con 2025. The upcoming mainline anime TV series is one of many new projects Nickelodeon has in store for Avatar fans.

Revealed at the Avatar 20th anniversary panel at San Diego Comic Con, currently taking place at the San Diego Convention Center in California, Avatar: Seven Havens is the brand-new anime TV series that's based on the Studio Ghibli-like anime franchise by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko. According to Variety, the new Avatar series will comprise 26 half-hour episodes, divided across two seasons. Chronologically, the new series takes place right after The Legend of Korra.

Twin Earthbenders Uncover Mysterious Origins in Post-Apocalyptic Avatar: Seven Havens Series Image via Nickelodeon

Distinguishing itself from its critically acclaimed predecessors, Avatar: Seven Havens features twin protagonists with Earthbending powers. However, only one has been...

Avatar: The Last Airbender is marking its 20th anniversary by looking ahead to new adventures as well as honoring its past.

Along with new movies featuring some familiar characters, fans now have a fresh animated series to get excited about called Avatar: Seven Havens. And we finally know who the new Avatar is.

At the recent 20th anniversary panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Nickelodeon gave fans their first official look at Seven Havens. The series introduces Pavi, the new Avatar who is an Earthbender, along with her mentor Jae. And of course, there’s a cute animal companion, keeping with the tradition of the Avatar world.

Via Nickelodeon

Seven Havens is a 26-episode 2D animated show set in a world shaken by a huge disaster. This event tore apart both the mortal and spirit realms, creating chaos and making people lose trust in the Avatar.

Because of this, society has...

Avatar: The Last Airbender is celebrating its 20th anniversary by looking both back and forward. Along with new Avatar movies featuring familiar characters, fans also got a first look at Avatar: Seven Havens, a brand-new animated series that continues the story.

Via Nickelodeon

At the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the 20th anniversary, Nickelodeon revealed the first images from Seven Havens. The show introduces a new Avatar named Pavi, who is an Earthbender, and her mentor, Jae. And of course, there’s a cute animal sidekick, just like in the original series.

Seven Havens will be a 26-episode, 2D animated TV show. It takes place after a huge disaster that tore apart the world, causing chaos between the spirit and mortal realms. Because of this, people have started to distrust the Avatar and what they stand for.

The survivors have gathered into seven safe places, called “havens.” One of these...

Nickelodeon has released the first look at the upcoming animated series “Avatar: Seven Havens,” the sequel series to the popular shows “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra.”

The artwork was revealed at San Diego Comic Con on Thursday, where “Avatar” celebrated its 20th anniversary.

“Seven Havens” follows two Earthbending twins when one discovers she’s the Avatar, the latest person who can wield all four elements — air, water, earth and fire. The new series is 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 savior. Hunted by both human and spirit enemies, she and her long-lost twin must uncover their mysterious origins and save the Seven Havens before civilization’s last strongholds collapse.”

The first look image shows the young Avatar and her half cat,...

Nickelodeon kicked off San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday with a celebration for 20 years of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

In addition to plenty of nostalgia surrounding the original series, the network also teased a first look at artwork from Avatar: Seven Havens, the upcoming 2D-animated series from Avatar Studios, which follows a young Earthbender who discovers she is the next Avatar.

Check out the image below.

Nickelodeon

Nearly 5,000 fans packed into the convention center’s Ballroom 20 for the panel moderated by Janet Varney, the voice of Korra, who was joined by much of the original voice cast including Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack De Sena (Sokka), Michaela Jill Murphy (Toph), Jennie Kwan (Suki), Dante Basco (Zuko), and Dee Bradley Baker (Appa). Series composer Jeremy Zuckerman and creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino were also there.

Though Mae Whitman, the voice of Katara, couldn’t be there in person, attendees were...

There's great news for Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, with it recently being announced that Nickelodeon will celebrate the show's 20th anniversary with a special event at this year's Comic-Con.

NickALive! reports that the network will be celebrating the show's landmark anniversary at San Diego Comic-Con (Sdcc) later this month, with the convention center floor bringing the four elements -- Water, Earth, Fire and Air -- to life with immersive experiences, merchandise and photo ops. A special panel will also see many of the original voice cast members uniting to discuss Avatar, with Janet Varney (the voice of Korra) moderating.

Exclusive Merchandise Releases & More This July Image via Nickelodeon

Those looking to attend the special anniversary panel at Sdcc for Avatar: The Last Airbender can do so on Thursday, July 24, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Ballroom 20. The panel will feature Zach Tyler Eisen (Aang), Jack DeSena (Sokka), Michaela Jill Murphy...

Avatar: The Last Airbender was always meant to end with Aang and Katara together. From the moment the young Avatar was freed from the ice, creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko built up their relationship as the water bender became the one member of the Gaang he could lean on the most for support. All the battles and adventures across the four nations eventually culminated in the final scene of Book 3, where, with the war with the Fire Nation finally behind them, they sealed their love with a kiss. However, fans have always envisioned Katara hooking up with a different suitor in a perfect enemies-to-lovers scenario — Zuko. Even over 20 years since the series premiered, Zutara hopes are still alive, and, at Fan Expo Denver, Dante Basco and Mae Whitman were all too ready to lean into them. Well, at least Basco was.

In a panel hosted by Collider's Maggie Lovitt at the event,...

20 years since Nickelodeon first aired Avatar: The Last Airbender, the hit animated fantasy franchise has been more active than ever of late. Netflix's live-action adaptation has a second season on the way, and the first new series since Avatar: The Legend of Korra ended in 2014 is on its way with Avatar: Seven Havens coming in 2027 at the earliest. For those looking to see the original Gaang back together again, however, the project to watch for is The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. Due out in late 2026, the film will pick up with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko as adults, years after Aang rose to the occasion and defeated Fire Lord Ozai. A new era means a chance to explore a new side of these characters not seen extensively in either Avatar series, and Michaela Jill Murphy has some ideas for her blind earthbender.

At a Fan Expo...

OneAvatar: The Last Airbender voice actor is convinced Nickelodeon wouldn't have greenlit the animated series if it were pitched for the first time today. The originalAvatar: The Last Airbender is widely regarded as one of the best animated series of all time, despite being targeted towards children. It deals with complex subject matter, including colonization, cultural oppression, prejudice, emotional abuse, spirituality, and more.

One of the reasons Avatar is still so beloved, even though it ended after three seasons in 2008, is that it handles these important topics in an accessible and fun way without ever glossing over the trauma caused by living in a war-torn world. Aang's duty as the Avatar, Zuko's redemption arc, and Sokka, Katara, and Toph's emotional family histories are treated with the gravity and respect they deserve.

Avatar's brand is as popular as ever – three animated movies and a new Avatar show are in development,...

Avatar: The Last Airbender wrapped up its original run in 2008, but fan debates about the series rage on -- particularly ships. It's not just viewers who are still arguing about which characters should have ended up together in the hit animated series, but the stars of the show, too.

Speaking on Braving the Elements, the official Avatar companion podcast, voice actors behind both The Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender weighed in on who they root for romance for from their shared universe, and their takes might surprise some fans (and shippers). During a recent podcast episode featuring Legend of Korra's Seychelle Gabriel (Asami Sato), the conversation turned to one of the fandom's most controversial topics: "Zutara." The ship pairs the non-canon Prince Zuko with the waterbender Katara, inspiring countless pieces of fan art and passionate support for nearly two decades, despite Katara ending up with Aang, while...

Original Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko recently revealed that to give their show's animated follow-up, The Legend of Korra, a more cinematic feel, they did something they were "explicitly being told not to do" by the studio.

The duo rendered the series in HD widescreen despite being told not to -- a decision that accidentally put the network ahead of the entire industry. Dimartino and Konietzko shared the behind-the-scenes story during a recent episode of Braving the Elements -- the official retrospective podcast hosted by Janet Varney and Dante Basco, explaining how studio executive Mark Taylor greenlit the HD format upgrade against Nickelodeon's wishes.

Nickelodeon Originally Said No to Avatar's Legend of Korra in HD

"We weren't supposed to do that," Konietzko admitted during the podcast discussion. The creators first pushed for HD during Avatar's series finale but faced resistance. "Nickelodeon, with...

Avatar: The Last Airbender fans will be able to enjoy three original stories collected in a new box set, Fire and Family, later this year.

Dark Horse announced the collection, which includes the comics Azula in the Spirit Temple, The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer and Ashes of the Academy. The three standalone graphic novels feature fan-favorite characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender and will be bundled together in a special boxed set releasing on Sept. 16, 2025, and the following day at comic shops. It will be priced at $38.97 and is available for pre-order now.

New Avatar Boxed Set Explores Fire Nation Favorites Zuko, Azula & Uncle Iroh

The Avatar: The Last Airbender - Fire and Family Treasury Boxed Set comes from Dark Horse Books in collaboration with Avatar Studios and the franchise's co-creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko. The Avatar graphic novels are written by Faith Erin Hicks with art by Peter Wartman,...

The canon of Avatar: The Last Airbender makes a very potent cast for Zuko and Katara ending up together. While these characters ended up taking completely different paths in their lives, it is easy to spot that even subtextually, the narrative was always primed to serve a relationship between The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady.

A slew of cast and crew members of Avatar: The Last Airbender believed that there was some merit in keeping Zuko and Katara together, and there have been some conflicting statements about the nature of how the relationship might have been in the cards, to be part of the official narrative. Whether it was or not is a different matter, because in terms of the flow of narrative, it makes complete sense that Zuko and Katara should have ended up together.

The narrative itself seemed to be a Zuko/Katara shipper.. Katara and Zuko...

In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Azula is counted as one of the strongest and most skilled firebenders that the Fire Nation has ever produced. Fans assumed that one of the tell-tale signs of Azula being a superior bender like Zuko was the fact that she had blue flames, as opposed to Zuko, who was always in the red-orange-yellow territory.

Given that in the real world, blue fire is considered the most efficient form of combustion, people assumed that Azula was simply a naturally stronger bender than Zuko. However, given that Fire Lord Ozai and General Iroh, who are significantly stronger than Azula, have non-blue flames, it begs the question of what the blue flames signified to begin with.

Azula’s blue flames were all about symbolism Azula, named after her grandfather, Azulon the Fire Lord || Credit: Nickelodeon

While in the canon of the story, Azula was named after Azulon, her...

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"Avatar: The Last Airbender" rose to a whole other level of greatness in its second, and some would say best, season. ("Book 2: Earth.") A lot of that comes down to two new characters the show introduced to its ensemble.

The heroes got a new teammate: Toph (Michaela Jill Murphy), the blind earthbending prodigy. But they also had a new threat to contend with: Fire Nation Princess Azula (Grey DeLisle), who was hunting both Avatar Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) and her exiled brother Prince Zuko (Dante Basco). Smart, powerful, and ruthless, Azula is seemingly the "perfect princess." She's a firebending prodigy and success comes naturally to her.

Another detail that sets Azula apart is her firebending. In "Avatar," where people can bend one of the four classical elements, Firebenders transmute fire out of their own breath and chi and then control the flames.

Severance’sDichen Lachman, known for her portrayal of Ms. Casey/Gemma Scout in the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller series, has been cast in Season 2 of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.Lachman joins a total of seven new cast members across the next two seasons of The Last Airbender, per Variety. The first season premiered in 2024 on Netflix.

Lachman has been cast in the role of Yangchen in the series. Also joining the cast for Season 2 are Dolly de Leon (Triangle of Sadness)as Lo and Li, Terry Chen (Lucky Star)as Jeong Jeong, Lily Gao (Blue Sun Palace)as Ursa, and Madison Hu (The Brothers Sun)as Fei. Tantoo Cardinal, known for performances in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moonand Dances with Wolves, will join Season 3 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cardinal will portray Hama in the series. Also joining the third season is Jon Jon Briones (Hadestown) as Piandao.

Netflix’s live-action version of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has added seven cast members across its upcoming second and third seasons.

Newly joining Season 2 are Dichen Lachman (“Severance”) as Yangchen, Dolly de Leon (“Triangle of Sadness”) as Lo and Li, Terry Chen (“Lucky Star”) as Jeong Jeong, Lily Gao (“Blue Sun Palace”) as Ursa and Madison Hu (“The Brothers Sun”) as Fei.

In Season 3, Tantoo Cardinal (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) will play Hama and Jon Jon Briones (“Hadestown”) will play Piandao.

They join previously announced Season 2 stars Miya Cech, Chin Han, Hoa Xuande, Justin Chien, Amanda Zhou, Crystal Yu, Kelemete Misipeka, Lourdes Faberes and Rekha Sharma, as well as series leads Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley and Dallas Liu and returning cast members Elizabeth Yu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Daniel Dae Kim, Momona Tamada and Thalia Tran.

News of the new cast members comes as “Avatar: The Last Airbender” wraps...

We're in the midst of a Last Airbender revival. Now only is there a live-action remake show between seasons on Netflix, but original creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko are making a new series of animated projects, including a movie that follows up with Aang, Katara and the rest of the old gang from the original show as adults. The movie is called The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender:

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Variety, it's been pushed back again, all the way to October 9, 2026, meaning it's moved a full year past its original release date.

It's hard to miss what you haven't seen, so I'm okay with the delay so long as the finished product turns out good. According to Animation Magazine, The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is being animated by Studio Mir,...

Jason Isaacs once again wowed fans with his brilliant performance in The White Lotus, and it was his other sinister performance that actually inspired the character of Commander Zhao in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Turns out that the character was directly inspired by Isaacs’ performance in The Patriot.

Jason Isaacs would actually go on to play Commander Zhao, who was one of the most ruthless characters in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. With little to no regard for how the natural world works, Zhao might have been the perfect Fire Nation soldier, but was definitely one of the worst offenders in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The Creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender never expected to get Jason Isaacs for the role Jason Isaacs in The White Lotus || Credit: HBO

In an interview with IGN, Michael Dante Dimartino revealed how they got Jason Isaacs to play the role of Commander Zhao.

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Blood of Zeus is an adult animated fantasy action adventure series created by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides. The Netflix series is set in mythical ancient Greece, and it follows Heron, the illegitimate son of Zeus, who must save Olympus and Earth, which is made harder because of a few gods and a massive demonic army. Blood of Zeus’s voice cast includes Derek Phillips, Elias Toufexis, Jessica Henwick, Mamie Gummer, Jason O’Mara, Claudia Christian, Chris Diamantopoulos, Adetokumboh M’Cormack, Fred Tatasciore, Lara Pulver, Cissy Jones, and Alfred Molina. So, if you loved the fantastical world, a captivating story, and compelling characters in Blood of Zeus, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Castlevania (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Netflix

Castlevania is an adult animated dark fantasy action-adventure series created by Warren Ellis. Based on the...

Avatar: The Last Airbender was able to deliver one of the best redemption arcs in all of fiction, specifically when it came to the story of Prince Zuko. There is an entire section of the fandom that believes that his sister, Princess Azula, was not someone who deserved a similar arc.

This was often attributed to the fact that Azula was a lot more ruthless and ‘evil’ when compared to Zuko, which the creators of the show have largely attributed to her having a troubled relationship with her mother. They have also come out with statements that point towards Azula’s possible redemption, given that the creators believe that she is not truly evil.

The creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender believe that Azula is not an evil character Azul in Avatar: The Last Airbender || Credit: Nickelodeon

Michael Dante Dimartino talked about how he thinks Azula might have just received...

One upcoming series set in the Avatar: The Last Airbender world just got a definitively disappointing update. Several new Atla projects are coming down the pipe in the next few years, but one of the most intriguing is Avatar: Seven Havens. The new series will be set after the events of Legend of Korra, and will follow an unnamed earthbending Avatar who is viewed as humanity’s destroyer, not its savior. There had been no word on an official release date for the series, but the most recent issue of Toy World Magazine features a Paramount section, which confirms that the show will not debut until 2027 at the earliest. Seven Havens will be created by original Atla scribes Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, and casting information has yet to be revealed.

Seven Havens isn’t the only upcoming Avatar project to be excited about. The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender...

Avatar: Seven Havensfinally has a release window, but unfortunately, it might take longer than people were hoping. In celebration of Avatar’s 20th anniversary, a new Avatar show was finally confirmed to be in development, with it following the Earthbender Avatar after Korra as she looks for her twin in a post-apocalyptic world that sees the Avatar as a symbol of destruction as opposed to an envoy of peace.

Fans have been waiting over a decade for the next Avatar show following Legend of Korra, but unfortunately, they will have to keep waiting a little longer. The May 2025 issue of Toy World Magazine featured a section of Paramount’s upcoming projects, and accordingly, Avatar: Seven Havens was confirmed to have a 2027 release window, putting its release at least two years off from the time of writing. While 2025 was unlikely, it’s still a very long wait, but with everything Avatar: Seven Havensis set to do,...

New details on the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender film are set to be revealed in May, with Paramount Animation bringing, among other films, a first look at The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender.

The world’s leading animation film festival, Annecy, is set to kick off its 2025 lineup on June 8 and run through June 14, showcasing a variety of new animated works from around the world. The festival has now unveiled its full lineup, which will feature several world premieres and first looks. Paramount Animation’s contribution will be a presentation on The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants and the much-anticipated The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. No further details have been released, but fans can finally expect to learn more information on the otherwise secretive project.

Paramount to Update Fans on the New Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie in May

There has been a four-year wait for information about the upcoming film,...

Remember those days back in 2005 when Nickelodeon started airing their new show, Avatar: The Last Airbender? For most of us, those times were probably some of the happiest of our lives, and the series just made them a whole lot better with its never-seen-before fantasy world and a story that continues to call us back.

Avatar: The Last Airbender was a cultural juggernaut, a beloved animated series that ran on Nick from 2005 to 2008. From its rich world-building to its nuanced characters that kept drawing us back, the show today has that hazy nostalgia vibe— the comfort of our childhood, and the feel of walking into a warm room after a day spent in bitter cold.

So when Netflix first announced a reimagined live-action version of the series, with Og series creators, Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko, attached as executive producers and showrunners, there was a feeling of euphoria and excitement among the fandom.

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Fantasy is a genre that can entice millions of fans with its world-building, imaginative elements, and larger-than-life characters. With the biggest library of shows and movies in the industry, Netflix has many great fantasy shows that the fans would find entertaining. While many of them were canceled before they could conclude their story, they are still entertaining. So, we considered compiling a list of the best fantasy shows you can find on Netflix.

Castlevania Credit – Netflix

Castlevania is an adult animated historical dark fantasy action-adventure series created by Warren Ellis. Based on the Japanese video game franchise of the same name developed by Konami, the Netflix series follows Trevor Belmont as he teams up with Alucard and Sypha Belnades to fight against Vlad Dracula Țepeș, who has sworn to destroy Eastern Europe. Castlevania’s voice cast includes Richard Armitage,...

Avatar: The Last Airbender brought to life a unique world with its own mythology. At the same time, the series featured a cast of interesting characters with striking designs that instantly made an impact on viewers when the animated series first premiered.

Over the years, fans have fallen in love with characters like Aang, Iroh, Toph, Sokka, Katara, Zuko, and many more. Their designs are iconic and forever etched in the fans’ hearts. As a result, it might surprise fans to learn the original character designs were completely different.

The main characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender (Credits: Nickelodeon).

The first sketches for the show’s cast of characters surfaced online. These designs are presumably from the very early stages of development. As a result, some of them are drastically different from the final outcome, and fans will certainly be surprised by the early designs for Toph, Appa, Iroh, and Azula.

While it wasn't without its issues, Netflix's live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender has been renewed through to conclusion, a rare feat for shows on the streamer nowadays. The remake was a darker, grittier take on the beloved animated series. It condensed the original story quite substantially, dropping some storylines altogether and blending arcs. The way it was adapted for live-action has its benefits and drawbacks, but overall it worked out pretty well.

The remake was announced way back in 2018. It underwent various changes (not least of all original series creators Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko dropping out) before it ultimately premiered in 2024. The show had an enormous production that utilized some of the most groundbreaking technologies in filmmaking. It's now been over a year since the debut season dropped, and fans are expecting updates on the status of season 2. In short: don't expect any new episodes this year.

It's about time we return to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and reunite with our favorite characters Aang, Katara, and Sokka. The first season was released early last year, and since then, fans have been eagerly anticipating the second installment. Production reportedly wrapped on the second season late last month, meaning we're a step closer to the show's return on Netflix. Now, fans have even more reason to celebrate, as a star from the hit action-adventure series has just shared an exciting update on the release window for season 2.

One of the show's newest cast members, Miya Cech, who is set to play Toph Beifong, spoke with The Direct on the red carpet at the premiere of Marshmellow and gave an update on when fans can potentially expect the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She told the news outlet that while she's not totally sure, she...

Turns out, not all casting calls need auditions. Sometimes, pure greatness just walks in. Back when the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender were assembling their dream team, one voice actor brought so much heat, they didn’t even bother with a test run. While Jason Isaacs had to earn his stripes as Zhao, this particular legend skipped the line entirely.

The performance was that iconic, locking down the role before a single word was spoken into a mic. And yep, it paid off. Because that voice? It practically bent its way into animation history.

Jason Isaacs in Harry Potter | Credits: Warner Bros The casting choice that made Uncle Iroh unforgettable, no audition required Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender | Credits: Nickelodeon Animation Studio

No test run. No script read. Just pure talent. That’s how the late Mako landed the iconic role of Uncle...

The universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender is expanding again. For a while now, original series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante Dimartino have been working on a series of animated projects. The first will be an animated film that catches up with the heroes of the show years after the ending. Today at CinemaCon, the new title was revealed: The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender.

The original show follows Aang as he comes to accept his responsibility as the Avatar, the only person in this fantasy world who can wield all four elements: air, earth, fire and water. By the end, Aang and his friends have helped defeat the tyrannical Fire Nation, and all while Aang is a young teenager of about 13 or 14. What happens after that?

That's what The Legend of Aang will explore. We do actually have some insight into Aang's future thanks to the sequel series The Legend of Korra,...

The world of Avatar is set to expand once again with the highly anticipated animated film Aang: The Last Airbender, slated for release in 2026. This upcoming movie will revisit the beloved characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender, now as young adults, several years after the events of the original series.

Fans have long speculated about what became of Aang and his friends following the epic conclusion of the Hundred Year War. While The Legend of Korra provided glimpses into their later lives, Aang: The Last Airbender aims to dive deeper into their untold adventures during their transition into adulthood.

The film is expected to explore the complexities of leadership, friendship, and the responsibilities that come with maintaining peace in a world still healing from the scars of war. With the return of Team Avatar—Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko—viewers will get an intimate look at their growth and...

The upcoming animated Avatar movie just got a major release update. Collider’s Britta DeVore is attending CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where Paramount kicked off its official panel by announcing that the animated film, which was previously titled Aang: The Last Airbender, has been relabeled as The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. It is currently set for release on January 30, 2026, and is set several years after the original series, following Team Aang as young adults working to secure peace now that the war with the Fire Nation is over. It was announced not long ago that Steven Yeun had joined the cast, which comes after he voiced the first Avatar, Wan, in The Legend of Korra. Dave Bautista is also attached to star in a villain role in the film, with Dante Basco reprising his role as Zuko.

Avatar: The Last Airbender became one of the most beloved franchises...

Fans have been eagerly awaiting news about the still-mysterious Avatar: The Last Airbendermovies, and finally, some details have arrived. Fan-favorite actor Steven Yeun is set to join the cast; however, which role he’ll be voicing is still unclear.

Per Variety, Steven Yeun has joined the cast of the series follow-up movie Aang: The Last Airbender. Yeun last appeared in the sequel series to The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, where he voiced Wan, the 10-thousand-year-old first Avatar who sealed the spirit portals. Yeun -- also known for his roles in The Walking Dead (Glenn Rhee) and Invincible (Mark Grayson/Invincible) -- will join the already announced cast of Eric Nam, Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten and Román Zaragoza, with Dave Bautista set to portray a villain. Dante Basco, the voice actor for Zuko, was previously confirmed to return in 2022.

Oscar Nominee Steven Yeun Returns to the Avatar Universe After...

Fan-favorite voice actor Jennifer Hale has discussed a potential return to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender following her role in the original animated series.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Hale opened up about possibly returning to the role of Avatar Kyoshi in the hotly-anticipated sequel series, Avatar: Seven Havens. "I would love to jump back into the role," Hale said. "I would be there with bells on, let me at it. Any participation in that would be a joy! I’ve actually seen the Kyoshi novels and I've signed several of them that fans have brought to me. Love the role."

Avatar: The Last Airbender's Original Kyoshi on a Potential Franchise Return Image via Nickelodeon Animation Studio

Hale also touched on her appreciation for the current resurgence in popularity that Avatar: The Last Airbender is experiencing. "I love seeing the resurgence, and it’s so cool that a...

Steven Yeunhas been cast in the upcoming theatrical film coming from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The character the Invinciblestar will be voicing remains a mystery, as Paramount wants to keep plenty of surprises for when audiences return to this world in theaters early next year. Just like the characters that will attempt to make the upcoming movie an unforgettable experience, the premise for the project remains under wraps. It will take a while for audiences to discover what Steven Yeun will be up to when he enters the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The upcoming movie will continue the legacy of Avatar: The Last Airbender on the big screen. While it has been confirmed that the title will be centered around Aang, a voice actor for the character hasn't been confirmed. The Avatar was portrayed by Zach Tyler Eisenin the three seasons of the television series created by Michael Dante Dimartino,...