May 14, 2008
Fans would be thrilled to know that Avatar: The Last Airbender has made enough waves in the entertainment industry to have a film adaptation to its name. In fact, they’d be happier to know that M. Night Shyamalan, the man behind the success of the film The Sixth Sense, has enlisted his talents for the making of the live-action film adaptation, which is set to be released on July 2, 2010. According to Variety, the production team has titled the film “The Last Airbender,” dropping the “Avatar” to avoid confusion with James Cameron’s upcoming flick of the same name, which is set to be released in December 2009.
Avatar: The Last Airbender was inspired and influenced by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Mizahaki, whom Shyamalan believes is one of the greatest storytellers in the world. Shyamalan adds that “In 'The Last Airbender,' I see an opportunity to make a live-action version of a Miyazaki film.”
May 7, 2008
Fans would be happy to know that Volume 3 of the third season DVD of Avatar: The Last Airbender hit retail stores all over the United States yesterday, May 6. Late last year, Book 3: Fire, Volume 1, the first of four volumes, was made available for the retail price of $16.99. Volume 1 contained five episodes of the series, with an audio commentary by the creators of crew. While October 2007’s Volume 1 release included episodes “The Awakening,” “The Headband,” “The Painted Lady,” “Sokka's Master” and “The Beach,” yesterday’s Volume 2 release included just five episodes with no extras or features. The $16.99-worth Volume 2 included “The Avatar and the Fire Lord,” “The Runaway,” “The Puppetmaster,” “Nightmares and Daydreams” and “Day of Black Sun.”
Yesterday, the five-episode long Volume 3 DVD was released, and fans got the first look of four yet-unaired episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
March 12, 2008
The New York Comic Con is just a few weeks away, and Nick Magazine's associate editor Dave Roman is encouraging fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender to submit show-related creations that may be featured during the show's panel.
Roman wrote on his official blog that the magazine is considering featuring “fan-made things at NYCC… if they are FUNNY, short and PG rated!” Roman also gave some suggestions on what fans can send in, including a “short/ funny tribute video that covers fandom as whole or plays to the anticipation of the big finale, a well-edited compilation of the cool Avatar cosplay all in one place set to music, short fan-made videos/confessionals where people [or puppets, or cartoons] explain what they love about Avatar and/or why other people should watch it, a compilation of Avatar AMVs [Animated Music Videos], original parodies that are PG [or slightly PG-13] and Bender-rock: Musical acts inspired by Avatar.”
March 5, 2008
Nickelodeon’s hit cartoon series, Avatar: The Last Airbender has, in its more than three years on air, featured an extensive original musical score, courtesy of composers Benjamin Wynn and Jeremy Zuckerman, more popularly known among show and music fans as The Track Team. Unfortunately, Nickelodeon has yet to release an official compilation of the show’s music.
This could all change, however, should the combined efforts of avid Avatar: The Last Airbender followers and the Track Team pay off in the near future. At present, a petition for the network to create an official soundtrack for the series is going around online. So far, more than 3,900 signatures have already been collected for the petition, which was launched in January 27.
March 1, 2008
Nickelodeon and the Hertz Corporation announced on Thursday that they are expanding the availability for Nick on the Go, the first fully portable, pre-loaded, touch-screen media player for vacationing families. The expansion means that the units will be available for rent in 23 additional top leisure travel airport locations, which in turn means that avid viewers of Nickelodeon will have a better chance of watching such hit shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender while they're out and about.
"Families are responding favorably to Nick on the Go and looking for increased access," said Frank Camacho, staff vice president of marketing for Hertz. "Hertz is pleased to expand Nick on the Go availability to key leisure destinations from New York to California and new locations in between. A first for the travel industry, Nick on the Go makes vacation time more enjoyable as kids love having their favorite Nickelodeon shows at their finger tips. Parents appreciate the easy use, the hours of entertainment, and the ability to take the player into a hotel or restaurant, as well as using it in the car."
February 23, 2008
Previously, BuddyTV reported of the possible casting of Australian actor Jonathan Nguyen as Aang on the live-action film adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the studios have yet to confirm this casting news, more names have started to surface on the web.
Various fan sites, including one dedicated to M. Knight Shymalan, who is set to direct the live-action Avatar movie, are reporting that a Greek actor named Ether Brent has been cast in the role of Sokka, a fifteen-year-old warrior of the Southern Water Tribe who is known to be skeptical but patriotic and sharp-witted.
February 16, 2008
A year ago, Nickelodeon announced that M. Night Shyamalan would be making three live action movies based on the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The surprising news fueled much hype among Avatar fandom but since then, the excitement has gradually died down. Recently, however, the production of the movie has been moving forward and more speculations about the film are surfacing the internet bit by bit.
According to a number of fan sites dedicated to Avatar: The Last Airbender, word on the street is that the role of Aang, the fun-loving 12-year-old and protagonist of the animated series, has already been cast and that Australian actor Jonathan Nguyen has reportedly landed the lead role.
February 9, 2008
Avatar: The Last Airbender can add “Favorite Cartoon” in its list of honors given that the adventure-fantasy series has now been nominated in Nickelodeon's 21st Annual Kids' Choice Awards. Scheduled to commence on Saturday, March 29 at the Pauley Pavilion, in Westwood, California, the awards show honors the year's biggest television, movie and music acts, as voted by the children who watch the Nickelodeon cable channel.
Hosted by Jack Black, the awards show will also feature tons of celebrities and musical guests including Jessica Alba, who's been nominated for Favorite Movie Actress for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Drake Bell and Josh Peck, who both have been nominated for Favorite TV actor for Drake & Josh, Beyonce and Hannah Montana's Miley Cyrus, who both have been nominated for Favorite Female Singer, and Johnny Depp, who's been nominated for Favorite Movie Actor for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, just to name a few.