New ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Series Coming to Netflix

Avatar: The Last Airbender is coming to life in a new series on Netflix, according to an announcement on Twitter on Tuesday morning.

The animated fantasy series that enthralled a generation is back, and this time, it is coming in live action. Netflix’s “See What’s Next” account, used for many of the company’s biggest revelations, confirmed the news on Tuesday, along with one incredible snapshot. The concept art by John Staub shows the massive flying bison Appa floating just above a tundra landscape. A small figure holding a staff stands before him.

Shortly after the announcement, another official Netflix account added one more key detail about the upcoming series: it will feature the original series creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The two writers and animators created Avatar: The Last Airbender while in college, and later co-created the spin-off series Legend of Korra. They have also worked on some of the graphic novels that carry on the story past the shows.

DiMartino and Konietzko released a joint statement shortly after the announcement, published by Entertainment Weekly.

“We’re thrilled for the opportunity to helm this live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender,” they said. “We can’t wait to realize Aang’s world as cinematically as we always imagined it to be, and with a culturally appropriate, non-whitewashed cast. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build upon everyone’s great work on the original animated series and go even deeper into the characters, story, action, and world-building. Netflix is wholly dedicated to manifesting our vision for this retelling, and we’re incredibly grateful to be partnering with them.”

The inclusion of DiMartino and Konietzko is good news for fans, who have been hurt before. In 2010, M. Night Shyamalan adapted the series into a live-action feature film which was widely dismissed by fans, and has frequently appeared on lists of the worst films ever made. The fact that Shyamalan wrote, directed and produced the film rather than collaborating with the creators is often cited as one of the main reasons it failed.

Now, the two will serve as showrunners and executive producers on the new series, according to EW. Work on the show is reportedly scheduled to start in 2019. In the mean time, fans will likely dissect Staub’s incredible concept art, looking for clues about the upcoming series. They may also turn back to the source material to hold them over until the Avatar returns.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to purchase on Amazon Prime Video.