Avatar: The Last Airbender ((May Contain Spoilers))

[Kathryn Lacey]

This thread is for all things Avatar: The Last Airbender the television series and The Last Airbender the movie.

~*~*~*~*~*

Ever since I watched the interview with M. Night Shyamalan in the extra credits of the Book Two: Fire boxed set for the television series, I have been anxious, excited, and nervous for the live-action film The Last Airbender.

I am a huge fan of the show. Some could even say obsessed. M. Night Shyamalan is a good director in my opinion, but most of his movies are based on deceiving the audience until the very end. I also watched his only movie geared toward a younger audience The Lady in the Water, and while I enjoyed it, it was very lacking. I was really nervous when I heard he would be writing the script and directing the movie.

I was severely pissed when I learned that Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko were all going to be played by caucasion actors. I always thought Aang could pass for a white boy, but Katara and Sokka should have been represented by Native Americans or Latinos. Zuko I felt should have definitely been Asian.

When Jesse McCartney's touring schedule interfered with the boot camp in which the characters were to learn the martial arts necessary for the film, I was ecstatic. Dev Patel from Slumdog Millionaire replaced him, and I decided that an Indian person would do just fine as Zuko. After all, Indians are Asians. I'm still irritated about Katara's and Sokka's actors being white.

Well, I saw the teaser trailer on YouTube, and I have higher hopes for the film. Now I am anxious to see both the full trailer and the movie. I can hardly wait until July 2nd, 2010. It's too far away. I know I'm going to see it the first day it arrives if I can.

The teaser depicts Aang, and I really like what they've done with his tattoo, and I'm glad it's not bright blue. There is another image of him here.

I have seen two images of Dev Patel as Zuko here and here. I am of the belief that his scar is far too subtle. I think they should have shaved his left brow and darkened the burn to make it more noticeable and obvious. Part of Zuko's allure is that he is horribly scarred on the left side of his face which has been one of the things that shaped his life.

However, I really love the costumes! ^^_^^

There is more information on the movie found on Avatar Wikia and The Last Airbender Fans Online.

Avatar Wikia also has all the information you could possibly wish to know about the television series.

What do you guys think about the show and the upcoming movie?

[Lara]

I am excited about the upcoming movie, now that I know of its existence. I can't believe they're having Caucasians play Katara and Sokka, but if they can fit the part in every other way I think I'll end up happy.

With the show itself, I've been a fan for a long time. I started watching it when it first aired on Cartoon Network, but somehow, I always ended up missing the season finale, so I fell so far behind (because I refuse to watch the next season of anything without seeing the finale of the previous)... But I finally went and found the episodes online a while ago and have seen most, if not all of the series. I guess I'll find out exactly how much I've seen now that I'm rewatching it all.

In the show, my favorite character is Katara. I love water and airbending best, and it's just awesome to watch her fight.

[Gunneh]

Dev Patel = One of the most amazing actors ever. I absolutely loved Slumdog Millionaire, so I'm waiting to see what he can do as Zuko. I, personally, don't like the way that Aang looks, though I do like the tattoo now that you mention it.

I cannot wait till the movie comes out, and I really hope that I'm not going to be disappointed by this one like I was with...*shudder*...The Happening...

CURSE YOU M. NIGHT AND AL GORE!

[Kathryn Lacey]

When I first heard about the show, I saw half a preview of it when I was fifteen, and I thought it looked stupid. I was totally wrong, obviously.

What started me watching it was boredom. I was really bored after school one day, so I started watching the show because nothing else was on TV. I was immediately hooked. It was fantastic! I'm really glad that I was able to get over my original impression so quickly. It's the best show they have ever aired on Nickelodeon. I had no idea they aired it on Cartoon Network as well.

Gunneh, do you just not like the costume, or do you not like the actor? I think the actor looks very much like him. Apparently Noah Ringer's friends used to call him Avatar even before anyone knew a movie was going to appear. Also, I really love his costume. I like it better than the one in the series.

[Gunneh]

No, I think the costumes look amazing so far. I just don't think he looks a lot like Aang, but that's just my opinion.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Well, I think he looks as much like Aang as the live-action versions are going to get. It's not as easy to find kids who look like cartoons as it is to make a cartoon look like a kid.

[Gunneh]

That's very true lol

I'm interested to see how the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe costumes are going to look, though. And I want to do an RP!!! GAH! lol

[Kathryn Lacey]

I know! I am, too. I hope it'll be something easy to imitate for next year's Halloween. I want to be Yue. The Latina girl that's going to play her in the movie is gorgeous. I can't really compete, but oh well.

I know. I want the role play, too. Just be patient. We should know by 7pm Central what the answer is to Jonathan's helping me create one.

[Gunneh]

I'd totally go Earth Kingdom for Halloween. It'd be pretty interesting if I could do the Dai Li...that'd be awesome...

[Kathryn Lacey]

It would also be pretty easy. Their robes and hats are simple. You couldn't actually have a rock-glove, but you could paint gloves to match. Yue would be more difficult because her robes are more detailed what with her being royalty, and her hair is crazy, but she would be warmer to play. I wonder if any of their other characters will have light hair? I doubt it if Yue was the only light haired person in the entire series who wasn't old...

[Fate Flyer]

I am so in on this discussion! (...once I've finished watching all 3 seasons, for fear of coming across spoilers. I just started season 2.)

[Gunneh]

I think Yue was the only one with light hair...I could be wrong, though.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Fate, when you finish Chapter 17: "The Ember Island Players" in Book Three: Fire you should watch this video- Avatar - Series Finale Trailer.

I love ravenhpltc242's videos soooo much. ^*_*^

I am not wrong. Yue is the only person with light hair in the entire series who is young. I have looked and looked, and no one else does unless they're old and wrinkly.

[Lara]

So, even though it'd be pretty much impossible for me because I refuse to cut my hair, I'd almost love to cosplay Teo, wheelchair and all... >.>

[Kathryn Lacey]

You could always wear a wig?

[Lara]

I could, which would certainly make it less impossible. But I'll have to think it over... I just like Teo, and think it'd be fun.

Almost up to the part in the show where they meet Toph~.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Awesome. When I'm done with my tLotR kick, I'm going to rewatch the series.

[Kaislynn]

I'm excited about the movie. And I like the show a lot.

The main thing I will be frustrated with is if everyone gets their hopes up and forgets that this is not going to be just like the show. It's not possible. The show is number one a cartoon and life is NOT like a cartoon. Neither are movies. I realize that there have been movies made specifically to imitate art but I doubt that this movie will be like that. It will instead be a re-imagination of the original idea. If we all keep that in mind, I think we'll all have a good shot of enjoying it.

I personally am excited about the cast. Even though, probably partly because some of the characters are white. The cast is multi-ethnic to the extreme. There are actors from Iran and India, caucasian etc and you know what? They aren't just actors who look like the cartoon characters they're playing (which would be weird and slightly impossible) but they're pretty good actors (at least the recognizable ones, which gives me hope that the casting picked good actors for the other characters). That's pretty awesome.

Katara and Sokka being played by white actors is fine and in fact good, I think. (Plus the two actors actually look like they could be siblings: spiffy.) While the Avatar world bears a lot of similarities to asian cultures: It is not set in Asia. It is a different world entirely so imagining white characters into it works just fine. Yes, it would be more accurate to the show if they got Inuit actors to play them, but it won't kill the movie and it isn't out of character to the show.

Finally, I heard random friends being annoyed about the bending in the teaser trailer. I liked it. I felt that it was subtle enough to be realistic but visible enough to still reflect the show. Like the costumes, they aren't exactly the show ones (cuz that would look silly) but they reflect the world from the show. It's a re-imagining: let's all deal with that and sit back to (hopefully) enjoy the movie

[Kathryn Lacey]

I'm not upset that there are Caucasians in the film, I'm upset because they completely disregarded the fact that two out of four of the main characters aren't white, and they don't look white at all. I actually hope that they have people of all races in the movie. If Jesse McCartney hadn't dropped out, Zuko would have been a white boy, too. It's like a blatant use of racism in my opinion when the only person who could really pass for a white kid is Aang. Suki could, too, but I think the girl playing her is Asian.

I'm already aware that the movie and the show can't be the same. A ten hour movie is far too excessive. Actually... when Shyamalan first wrote the script it was about ten hours long, and he had to severely cut it to fit the limitations of a featured film. I know some things aren't going to be in there that I wish would be, but I'm also hoping they won't put stupid things in there like the one and only episode of Avatar that was made of fail ((Chapter 11: "The Great Divide" Book One: Water")).

Part of the reason that I'm so worried about the film is because I'm a huge Avatard, and I don't want them to break away from the spirit of the show even though they have to leave some things out for time constraints.

[Sighlent]

OMG I totally jizzed when I went and watched Ice Age today and the teaser trailer showed! I was like Avatarding out and jumping up and down squeeling 'It's Avatar! It's Avatar!' and everyone in the theatre was like 'WTF-ing?!' me! ^_^

It was soooooo amazing! And I have to disagree with Gunneh in saying that that kid looks a HELL of a lot like Aang. I haven't gone to see the full cast list yet (been outside shooting off pre-4th fireworks...woot!) but I'm going now!

[Sighlent]

OK...just RUINED everything practically. Jackson Rathborne (Sokka) is a Twigeek. He plays Jasper in the Twilight Saga. How ick is this idea of him portraying Sokka.


...he is pretty darn cute though.

[Guest]

I think Jackson playing Sokka will be interesting.
[/isatwinerdstilleventhoughtshesayssheisnt]

I'm slightly excited for this movie.
:3
I'll go see it for sure and I can't wait for the full trailer.

[Lara]

Toph might be a bit of a jerk when she's first introduced, but man, does she rock.

Ty Lee is still my second favorite though, with Katara at first.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Toph won't be introduced until the second movie. She wasn't in the first season. Ty Lee, Azula, and Mae aren't going to be in it, either, unless they just show Azula's face the way they did in the first season, and that was only twice.

I'm not excited about Rathbone being Sokka, either. He didn't seem like a very good actor in Twilight. Just because he didn't have like... any speaking lines doesn't mean you can't tell if someone is decent, either. Acting isn't all about talking. It's about expressing yourself without having to speak sometimes, and he failed just as hard as the rest of the cast in that movie.

I'm really afraid for the acting of The Last Airbender, too.

[Fate Flyer]

Ahh, so much conversation for me to catch up on (now that I've finished watching Avatar)!

I am slightly disappointed as well that the actors for Katara, Sokka, and Zuko are all Caucasian. At first, I didn't think the actor for Aang looked like him either. Aang in the TV show is really scrawny and has big ears. Now, looking at him though, I think he's not bad.

The main thing that I see so far that I don't care for is Zuko's scar. It's sooo miniscule! How would his dad have done that? Thrown a spark in his eye? Seriously, lol. That's not the mark of an angry father. If that's what it's going to look like, it's definitely not prominent enough. I agree with Kathryn. I think they should have singed off his eyebrow. I mean, that's at least realistic.

I'm not sure what to think of Aang's tattoo yet. I am just looking forward to seeing Appa and Momo.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Well, they shaved off half of his brow. The major half is still there. But yeah. Waaaay too little. I'm hoping it'll look more prominent on the big screen. That picture isn't very big, and I'm sure it'll be more visible in motion or something.

Momo isn't going to be in the film. ^;_;^

[Ehoron]

Rathbone doesn't have a Sokka look to him, but the girl they picked to do Katara I think stands a fair chance at pulling the roll off. Her facial features are similar to Karara's.

Also, the Fire Nation ships look to be pretty freakin' menacing.

[Kathryn Lacey]

Oh! I was just informed by Jonathan that they could rework Zuko's scar with the CG special effects. I hope they do, and I hope they do a good job of it.

[Inerio]

O.o
Why did I not notice this thread sooner!? This thread is win, oh so much win.

[Kathryn Lacey]

I have no idea... Perhaps you are not enough of an Avatard. ^o_~^

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