The fatal mistake Netflix made with the Avatar adaptation

Avatar – The Last Airbender is considered by many to be the best animated series of all time. Lovingly drawn and highly exciting, the series never shy away from serious topics such as genocide or discrimination.

Fans who want more can actually be happy: Three new animated films have been announced for the fantasy universe. In addition, Netflix produces a live-action series called Avatar – The Last Airbender. But the developments behind the scenes are tragic. The streamer has when dealing with the creators made a huge mistake.

“Immense Disappointment”: Netflix pissed off the Avatar creators

When Netflix announced the real-life adaptation of Avatar in 2018, seemed like a dream come true for all parties. The creators of the original, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, would be instrumental in shaping the vision of the series. Netflix was looking forward to an entire franchise and new subscribers. Fans were excited for the new adaptation, which seemed to fit Netflix’s inclusive policies perfectly. The memory of M. Night Shyamalan’s hated movie The Legend of Aang has finally faded.

Therefore, the departure of DiMartino and Konietzko in May 2020 came as an immense shock. On Instagram, the two spoke of a “hostile environment“, “lack of support” and “immense disappointment“. The dream had burst. The Avatar fans didn’t want to admit it. And Netflix didn’t know what a huge mistake it had made.

Netflix adaptations are hated by many fans of the originals

Because even if the streamer likes to adorn himself with avatar-like inclusivity, his adaptations have long been the target of fan criticism. Real film adaptations of cartoon or anime originals such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note or Cowboy Bebop are considered by many fans to be Example of ruthless fan and brand exploitation. The Last Airbender has now joined the sad bunch. Netflix’s implementation is being treated like a leper by its ideal audience. And that’s before the first trailer.

On top of that. Where other creatives run away in frustration, the avatar makers simply build a competitive vision. Three Avatar films will be produced by the two at Nickelodeon’s newly created Avatar Studios. The name seems to mock Netflix. “We do not take up the cause of greed for profit“, that’s what he says.

For Netflix, the avatar adaptation is already a major defeat

For the streamer, it’s more than an annoying faux pas. The resentment against Netflix is thanks to listless adaptations and various cancellations at the peak. The attitude of the avatar creators will put many people off the real series. And the three Avatar Studios films will sooner or later benefit Paramount+, the streaming arm of parent company Paramount and a direct Netflix competitor.

It’s too early to judge the quality of the live-action Netflix series. Even if it should be first-class, it will always have to compete with a counter-vision. And longtime fans will be reluctant to fund their heroes’ competition. The immense popularity of the Avatar franchise has turned against the streamer. Netflix hasn’t dug a grave yet. But meanwhile there are a lot of groundbreakings.

When are the Avatar movies and Netflix series coming out?

So far there is no specific date for either the films or the real series. The years are getting cautious for the trilogy 2024, 2025 and 2026 specify. At the current stage of development, we expect the Netflix series to be released in mid-2023.

Is Netflix still the best streaming service?

Netflix is ​​in its first really big crisis. In the Moviepilot podcast, we talk about the various problems that led to this.

Price increases, series cancellations and a lot of mass instead of class: Netflix is ​​still the most popular streaming service in the world, but for how long? The competition from Sky, Amazon, Disney+ and HBO Max has caught up enormously.

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What do you think of Netflix’s behavior in the real-life Avatar series?