Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
Step into the Four Nations realm once more with the animated film “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender”. Paramount has announced that the film, which continues the story from “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” will debut globally on Paramount+ on July 25. The film was originally supposed to debut on Oct. 9 in theaters before Paramount shifted it to a direct-to-streaming release in December 2025. The entire film then leaked online in April, which no doubt factored into the decision to hasten its release. It is also due to be featured at San Diego Comic-Con in the coming weeks.
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” was originally released on Nickelodeon between 2005 and 2008. It follows four nations, the Water tribes, Earth kingdom, Fire Nation, and the Air temples living together, at least before the Fire Nation launched a 100 year war. Aang, an airbender and the powerful Avatar, has to master all four elements to stop the Fire Nation emperor, Ozai alongside friends Katara, Sokka, Toph, and enemy-turned-friend Zuko. It has received significant praise for its story, character development, art style, and more. It is widely regarded as one of the best animated series ever made.
The film is based on the animated series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Both wrote the story for the film along with Tim Hedrick and Kenneth Lin. Hedrick and Christopher Yost wrote the screenplay. Lauren Montgomery directed along with co-directors Steve Ahn and William Mata. Latifa Ouaou and Maryann Garger produced along with Konietzko and DiMartino. Avatar Studios produces.
The official logline for the film states, “Avatar Aang, the world’s last Airbender, learns 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.”
Set post-100 year war, Aang laments that he remains the last air bender in the world despite all the success he has had as the Avatar. He then discovers Tagah, an ancient air bender frozen in ice like Aang and learns of a powerful staff that could restore his culture. With the help of his friends, they embark on a global quest to find the relic before a group called The Denied can claim it and upend the peace they fought to achieve.
Eric Nam voices the cheerful Avatar himself, while Jessica Matten and Román Zaragoza voice Southern Water Tribe siblings Katara and Sokka respectively, the former now dating Aang. Dionne Quan voices earth bender Toph Beifong, and Academy and Emmy Award nominee Steven Yuen voices Fire Lord Zuko. Dave Bautista voices newly found air bender Tagah, and Geraldine Viswanathan voices Kallak, a member of the Denied. Academy Award nominee Taika Waititi, Ronny Chieng, Ken Jeong as the infamous Cabbage Merchant, Dee Bradley Baker as Aang’s animal companions Appa and Momo, Freida Pinto and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Kuan as Aang’s past lives Avatar Sonam and Avatar Xian respectively. All cast members are of Asian descent, with Matten and Zaragoza being both of indigenous descent.
This will be the first film or TV project released by Avatar Studios, the production company founded in 2021 as a division of Nickelodeon Animation Studio. Avatar Studios is also currently prepping the animated series “Avatar: Seven Havens,” which will take place after the events of “Last Airbender” and “Legend of Korra.” That show is due to debut in 2027.
