I'm disappointed," spat president Guy Aoki. "This was a great opportunity to create new Asian-American stars. The Media Action Network for Asian-Americans also urged people not to see the movie, the first time it has made such a public statement.
"To take this incredibly loved children's series, and really distort not only the ethnicity of the individual characters but the message of acceptance and cultural diversity that the original series advocated, is a huge blow," complained Michael Le of, a fan site calling for a boycott of the film.
Perhaps rather inevitably, given that the TV series that gave birth to it conjures up a cultural universe with a distinct air of the far east about it, various US groups have been vocal in their rage.
Not only has the movie been roundly condemned for appalling special effects, a poorly executed 3D transfer and a confused and tepid narrative, but Shyamalan has found himself at the centre of a rabid debate about Hollywood casting practices after choosing white actors to play the principal parts.
It has been a long time since Shyamalan was any sort of critical favourite, but the brickbats thrown at his latest movie, supposedly a labour of love and the first in a trilogy, would be enough to end the Hollywood careers of most film-makers. Unfortunately, the rapacious fire nation, who have been doing rather well out of chaos, are determined to ensure the fledgling messiah does not get to fulfil his destiny (don't these guys ever learn?) The film arrives in cinemas this weekend in the UK, though it has been out for a while in the US. It turns out that he is an Avatar, a being capable of bringing order to the world (and nothing to do with James Cameron's giant blue smurfs). As the story begins, chaos reigns, but hope is rekindled by the discovery of a 12-year-old boy, Aang, who has been trapped in an iceberg for 100 years. We personally would love to see the series jump over to a new video game that's inspired by Genshin Impact.The Last Airbender is M Night Shyamalan's controversial adaptation of the hugely popular children's TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender, set in a future world of fantasy in which civilisation has broken down and four famous nations, based on the ancient elements of fire, water, earth and air, battle for supremacy. It's safe to say that Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of, if not, the most beloved animated series of all time. During its finale, the show received 5.6 million viewers and in 2018, The Complete Series Blu-ray release has earned Viacom $5 million. It only ran for three seasons, but its epic storytelling and emotional stakes stand the test of time.
Related: Avatar: 10 Powers Toph Keeps Hidden (And 10 Weaknesses Only Super Fans Know)Īvatar: The Last Airbender released 16 years ago and still remains in the hearts and minds of fans today.
Magpie Games CEO Mark Diaz Truman said in a press release that the company wants to "bring the world of Avatar Aang and Avatar Korra to life in a way that's true to the authentic, diverse spirit of both shows." Hodes is no stranger to the RPG realm as he's worked on the Sentinels Comics RPG, Thousand Arrows, and Scion. Sticking true to the original source material, Magpie Games is bringing on Asian designers like James Mendez Hodes to the project. No details have been given on possible classes or characters we'll be able to play as yet.
The core rule book will be releasing in February 2022 and then two supplements will arrive that August (Republic City) and February 2023 (The Spirit World).