Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender was originally intended for a theatrical release, but Paramount later had a change of heart and announced that the animated feature would debut on Paramount+ instead. Fans were pissed; the entire movie leaked online, and it was a whole thing. However, it seems that Avatar Aang will screen in theaters after all… sort of.
Variety reports that Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender will screen in select theaters in Los Angeles and New York. This will be an awards-qualifying theatrical run, with Paramount obviously hoping to set up the film for a Best Animated Feature campaign. The film will play from July 24 to 30, with three showtimes per day at the AMC Burbank Town Center 6 in L.A. and the AMC Empire 25 in Manhattan.
As previously announced, Avatar Aang will also screen at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24. It will be available to stream on Paramount+ on July 25.
Although it’s obviously not the wide theatrical release fans wanted, this will at least give Avatar fans in Los Angeles and New York the chance to see it on the big screen.
Based on the animated series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, this new story in the Avatar universe sees Aang learn of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction. With the help of his friends, he embarks on a global quest to find it before it falls into the wrong hands and threatens to upend the peace they sacrificed everything to achieve.
The film features the voices of Eric Nam as Aang, Dave Bautista as Tagah, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, Steven Yeun as Zuko, and Dionne Quan as Toph.
In addition to the movie, the Avatar franchise will continue with a brand-new sequel series. Nickelodeon officially ordered Avatar: Seven Havens last year. The new series comes from original creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and 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.“