A New Spin On a Childhood Classic
Fans of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Share Views on the Upcoming Live-Action Remake
By: Jonah Cole, Staff Writer
Netflix is set to release its live-action remake of the highly acclaimed animated show “Avatar: The Last Airbender” on Feb. 22, 2024.
The show occurs in a fictional world where a select percentage of the population can manipulate, or “bend,” four natural elements: Water, Fire, Earth and Air. The show centers around five benders, all between the ages of 12 and 16, who are responsible for saving the world. And for many fans, the new live-action reboot represents a great sense of excitement.
“I’m really excited to see the bending,” said Matthew Bilello, a graduate student at Lynn University and lifelong fan of the show. “The bending and the special effects in the trailer looks really good. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to match what they did in the original, but it looks really close.”
Avatar is widely considered to be one of the greatest animated shows of all time. So, it would be natural for the writers and directors of this reboot to want to stay as true to its source material as possible. However, some fans feel that may not be the best direction for this new show to go in.
“I just don’t want them to exactly copy the animated show,” said Quinton Primo, another die-hard Avatar fan. “I think they should bring their own perspective to the story and characters, while also remaining faithful to the original.”
On the surface, Avatar is a children’s show with state-of-the-art animation and jokes to make fourth graders laugh. However, for older fans of the show, like Bilello and Primo, it means so much more.
“I think it’s one of the greatest shows I’ve ever watched,” said Primo. “It’s a real epic journey and people say it’s a kid’s show, but in reality, it’s an adult show dressed up as a kid’s show.”
For some Lynn students, “Avatar” was a significant part of their childhood as it was a show filled creativity, wonder and culture.
“It was my childhood, it’s what I grew up on,” said Bilello. “It gives you a nice escape into a world with bending and powers and things that can’t exist in the real world.”
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” will have eight episodes in its first season and will be directed by Michael Goi.
