Paramount Pictures has shifted some of the release dates for its upcoming movies. Notably, The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender has been pushed back.
Previously slated to release on January 30th, the upcoming animated film will now hit theaters on October 9, 2026. That was previously the release date slotted for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2, which has also been delayed and will now open in 2027.
A continuation of the hit Nickelodeon animated television series The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender follows Aang and the rest of the main cast in their young adult years. The film stars Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph Beifon, Jessica Matten as Katara, and Roman Zaragoza as Sokka. Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) has been cast as the main villain in the film, while Steven Yeun is starring in an undisclosed role.
The recasting of these main roles has been met with mixed reception from fans, which casting director Jenny Jue responded to during a recent Reddit Q&A.
"Since the original show was released, there’s been more emphasis in VO to match actors’ ethnic/racial background to the characters they’re portraying. ATLA is a fictional world, but there are cultural influences for each nation/kingdom, and we wanted to explore the talent from those groups," Jue explained.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is directed by Lauren Montgomery, with co-direction by William Mata. It is the first project from Avatar Studios, a division of Nickelodeon Animation Studio formed in 2021 to expand the Avatar universe.
The original Avatar: The Last Airbender series was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. Set in a fantasy world where people can manipulate the four classical elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. The story follows 12-year-old Aang, the last surviving Airbender and the current Avatar, capable of mastering and bending all four elements while tasked with maintaining balance in the world. Aang, along with his friends Katara, Sokka, and Toph, strives to defeat the Fire Lord Ozai and bring peace to the world.
Avatar: The Last Airbender was a massive success and received widespread acclaim from critics and general audiences. The series was praised for everything from its general art direction to its thematic elements and cultural references.
The series aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons from 2005 to 2008. It led to an expanded Avatar universe that included comic books, prequel novels, an animated sequel series, and a live-action movie. Most recently, Netflix attempted its own live-action remake of the series, which was met with mixed reception. It was, however, renewed for a second and third season.