Netflix's Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender General Discussion Thread

[Arachnerd]

It's amazing how everything that has come out of the showrunner's mouths so far has been textbook what-not-to-do when remaking an animated series in live-action. Apparently they're also scrapping Katara's arc of dealing with sexism in the Northern Water Tribe from what I've read in other interviews on Twitter for the same reasons as to why Sokka is no longer gonna start off as sexist, which is a fundamental misunderstanding of the characters and the original show.

And given how they keep referring to the original show as being geared just for kids, that implies to me that they don't really respect it and/or view animation as a much lesser medium of storytelling.

Seems like One Piece is going to remain the diamond in the rough, I guess.

 

[Sithborg]

Gee, its almost as if they are having to condense 20 half hour episodes down to 8 hour long episodes. And how those formats are different and requires different pacing. That character beats will have to change or be dropped.

And I should also point out, One Piece also had to drop and change quite a few things.

 

[Arachnerd]

It's one thing to change certain things, it's another to fundamentally alter character arcs and development to the point where they'll come across as severely less interesting and static characters. Again, please explain to me how ignoring the 'sexism is a thing Sokka and Katara have to overcome' is a good alteration whatsoever. How is Katara breaking gender norms in the Northern Water Tribe and standing up for herself something that has to be done away with? How is making Aang super serious about being the Avatar from the get-go a nice change considering that not only does it downplay his childlike innocent, but it's also what the horrid Shyamalan movie did as well?

And One Piece's changes worked because they still fundamentally understood who the characters are while still standing on its and, contrary to this show, had the original manga author involved who never ended up dropping out due to creative differences halfway through development.

 

[Snow Queen]

Every comment from those involved is just sending up red flags. Very bad feeling about this one and its fresh off the rack costume design.

 

[nachtschicht]

Welp. All those things they're dropping are things that made the show enjoyable to me; this rush to the goal doesn't sound appealing at all. I just need shows to be longer again, tbh. Filler episodes are great, guys, flesh out side-/characters, let them breath, some lighter eps in all the dealing with war, etc. (there's like one ep of the original show I'd maybe skip). I'm gonna pass on this.

 

[Sithborg]

It's one thing to change certain things, it's another to fundamentally alter character arcs and development to the point where they'll come across as severely less interesting and static characters. Again, please explain to me how ignoring the 'sexism is a thing Sokka and Katara have to overcome' is a good alteration whatsoever. How is Katara breaking gender norms in the Northern Water Tribe and standing up for herself something that has to be done away with? How is making Aang super serious about being the Avatar from the get-go a nice change considering that not only does it downplay his childlike innocent, but it's also what the horrid Shyamalan movie did as well?

And One Piece's changes worked because they still fundamentally understood who the characters are while still standing on its and, contrary to this show, had the original manga author involved who never ended up dropping out due to creative differences halfway through development.

Quite honestly, I can't. Because I haven't seen the episodes yet. We have not seen how the change from a half hour kids cartoon shifts to an "epic" hour long show with only 8 episodes. The needs of the different shows require needs in terms of storytelling.

 

[Arachnerd]

I don't disagree, but it's quite difficult not to see why people are growing apprehensive after these interviews and how the showrunners have been wording things and changing the core of the main trio's personality and struggles, especially how they keep emphasizing how the original ATLA was a show "just for kids" and wanting this to be the new Game Of Thrones. It makes you wonder whether they actually like the original show to begin with, and that justifiably is making folks skeptical. It's not something that should be handwaved away as irrelevant criticism unless you want to be extremely reductive.

I'll still watch this, but my expectations have plummeted severely so do excuse me if I'm not going in expecting to mindlessly praise everything about it just because of the faux assumption of it being different automatically = good.

 

[Primal Slayer]

They were doing so well before they started talking about the show.

That's more on Netflix than the showrunners. 8 episodes with a cast that's already 3 years older...

 

[Teelie]

Every day there is a new reason for me to be disappointed in this live action show that was looking so promising.

Netflix can just go ahead and cancel it now instead of watiting a month after it airs.

 

[Weather Witch]

Credit where it's due. Aang vs Bumi shots looking pretty slick. Realizing I have been a bit overly negative, but I just really want this to be good.

That's more on Netflix than the showrunners. 8 episodes with a cast that's already 3 years older...

The amount of episodes doesn't necessarily dictate that approach though.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Credit where it's due. Aang vs Bumi shots looking pretty slick. Realizing I have been a bit overly negative, but I just really want this to be good.

The amount of episodes doesn't necessarily dictate that approach though.

Trying to fit in 1 season into 8 episodes - things are going to be cut. They were damned either way

 

[writer0327]

20 episodes X Roughly 20 mins per episode = 400 mins runtime for season 1

400 mins / 8 live action episodes = 50 mins per episode.

Could have dang near done a carbon copy of the animated show without any major problems.

 

[Sithborg]

20 episodes X Roughly 20 mins per episode = 400 mins runtime for season 1

400 mins / 8 live action episodes = 50 mins per episode.

Could have dang near done a carbon copy of the animated show without any major problems.

Considering the fairly episodic nature of Avatar, it doesn't work nearly as well as you think.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Weather Witch]

That 'Bringing The World To Life' Featurette was really solid. Gordon Cormier also seems a lot better in the longer clips.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Weather Witch]

Honestly think the marketing material is improving.

Please be good.
Please be good.
Please be good.

 

[Arachnerd]

I'm still not a fan of certain decisions made, and the acting so far is leaving a lot to be desired, but I'll still try to give this a chance.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Very luke warm excitement for this.

 

[Arachnerd]

New trailer is out. Beware though because it spoils something interesting:



Still apprehensive about some things, but the visuals look much more impressive here and

Spoiler

Kyoshi looks amazing, holy crud.

 

[Pennywise]

 

[Sithborg]

'Avatar: The Last Airbender' reveals live-action Mai and Ty Lee

'Avatar: The Last Airbender' reveals Mai and Ty Lee in live action. Watch EW's exclusive clip of their arrival.

ew.com

Get a look at the trio. I don't think you can ever really replicate what Grey Griffin did with Azula, but so far, I like what they are doing with her. I am going to be encouraging that adorable baby face to do war crimes. Ty Lee and Mai are about as perfect as you can get in live action.

Also looking at some of the red carpet pics, Aang is going to be the tallest in season 3.

 

[Detective Conan]

Oof, not off to a great start. Finished the first episode, and while it wasn’t outright bad, it wasn’t anything special and was way too exposition heavy for my tastes and some of the acting and dialogue just wasn’t very strong. I’m on the second ep, and I think it’s flowing much better.

Gotta say Avatar The Last Airbender Netflix series getting worse reception compared One Piece was not on my bingo card…I’m kind of stunned, especially when all things considered between the two aforementioned properties the goofier and cartoonier world of One Piece is much harder to translate to the live-action medium than ATLA.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Im currently watching the first episode and its ok. Not WOWing me sadly. Effects are fine (I give plenty of leeway given how heavy this needs to be) but the biggest thing is the acting/dialogue. Barely anyone has been able to sell what their saying and elevate the script.