Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Out of Live-Action Netflix Series
Paul Dailly
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Avatar: The Last Airbender will be coming to Netflix without creative input from the original creators of the series.
Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who co-created the animated series, have exited Netflix’s live-action adaptation after initially boarding the project as executive producers and showrunners.
DiMartino confirmed in an open letter to the fans that both creators stepped away from the project in June amid creative differences with Netflix.
"Many of you have been asking me for updates about the Avatar live-action Netflix series. I can finally tell you that I am no longer involved with the project," he said.
"In June of this year, after two years of development work, Bryan Konietzko and I made the difficult decision to leave the production."
"When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners," he added.
"In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series."
"And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped."
"Look, things happen," DiMartino concedes.
"Productions are challenging. Unforeseen events arise. Plans have to change. And when those things have happened at other points during my career, I try to be like an Air Nomad and adapt."
"I do my best to go with the flow, no matter what obstacle is put in my way. But even an Air Nomad knows when it’s time to cut their losses and move on."
DiMartino said he hopes that final product “might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying,” but he added his certainty that “whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.”
The project snagged a series order back in September 2018.
This will be the second adaptation in which the original creators had no input. There was also a live-action 2010 movie.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
