From IndieWire · Sarah Shachat · · 40s
Avatar Projects Proliferate, Best Leaves Last Airbender Behind
New 'Avatar' projects flood streaming, but the most successful one drops its original series.
In brief
New 'Avatar' projects flood streaming, but the most successful one drops its original series. The best 'Avatar: Seven Havens' adaptation leaves 'The Last Airbender' behind to avoid franchise fatigue. Originally reported by IndieWire.
Avatar Projects Proliferate
New 'Avatar' projects flood streaming platforms while the original series remains a cultural touchstone.
“The latest entry into michael dante dimartino and bryan konietzko's fantasy series is the first that takes any baby steps away from its ip anchor point.”
Best Project Leaves Original Behind
The most successful adaptation, 'Avatar: Seven Havens', deliberately drops 'The Last Airbender' to avoid franchise fatigue.
“The series ended in 2008 after three seasons (or 'books,' as the show puts it) and a four-part finale that is one of, if not the, most structurally flawless series wrap-ups in television history.”
Why This Works
By leaving the original series behind, 'Avatar: Seven Havens' avoids the pitfalls of franchise overextension.
“The style, influenced by the expressiveness of anime but very much shaped in boldness of line and color by the very different martial arts disciplines behind elemental 'bending'.”
The essence
The best 'Avatar: Seven Havens' adaptation leaves 'The Last Airbender' behind to avoid franchise fatigue.
