As Netflix continues its search for its next breakout hit to follow up the successes of Stranger Things and Squid Game, one project anticipated to do the trick is the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. With principal photography having wrapped for the series in early June, the waiting game for new information is well underway. Now, fans of the hit Nickelodeon series have been treated to a large swath of new castings for the Netflix adaptation. Below are the 20 casting additions officially announced.
- Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue
- A Martinez as Pakku
- Irene Bedard as Yagoda
- Joel Oulette as Hahn
- Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook
- Meegwun Fairbrother as Avatar Kuruk
- Arden Cho as June
- Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi
- Daniel Pudi as The Mechanist
- Lucian-River Chauhan as Teo
- James Sie as The Cabbage Merchant
- Momona Tamada as Ty Lee
- Thalia Tran as Mai
- Ruy Iskandar as Lieutenant Jee
- Hiro Kanagawa as Fire Lord Sozin
- C.S. Lee as Avatar Roku
- François Chau as the Great Sage
- Ryan Mah as Lieutenant Dang
- George Takei as Koh
- Randall Duk Kim as Wan Shi Tong
For fans of The Last Airbender, these are certainly some exciting revelations as many of these are quite memorable characters to the lore of the franchise. Some specific castings of note include James Sie reprising his role as the unfortunate Cabbage Merchant, a character deeply ensconced in the online zeitgeist of the cartoon. Also of note, the casting of Ghosts’ Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi may surprise some due to him being significantly younger than the character’s previous depiction, though it makes sense with the high physicality of the role. What might be most interesting, though, is the apparent inclusion of Mai and Ty Lee in the first season despite originating in season two of the animated series. With that in mind, it seems likely that Princess Azula and her team will have more of a built-up presence early on in this incarnation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
It’s not currently announced as to when the series will release on Netflix. Though with production having wrapped earlier this year, a 2023 release feels quite logical.
Source: Variety
