Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Leave Netflix Adaptation Over Creative Issues

Excitement over the Avatar: The Last Airbender live action series on Netflix has been growing, ever since it was announced that original creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko would be acting as showrunners and executive producers of the series. The hope was that their hand could prevent another monstrosity like M. Night Shyamalan’s film adaptation.

Sadly, it has now been announced that both DiMartino and Konietzko have parted ways with the series over creative differences. Here’s the statement that DiMartino posted on his official website about the news:

I also sought wisdom from Stoic philosophers who were big on differentiating between what is within our control and what isn’t. I realized I couldn’t control the creative direction of the series, but I could control how I responded. So, I chose to leave the project. It was the hardest professional decision I’ve ever had to make, and certainly not one that I took lightly, but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity.

And who knows? Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be good. It might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying. But what I can be certain about is that whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.

Here’s what Konietzko posted on his Instagram:

So, what does this mean for the series? Who knows. Netflix has crafted some pretty amazing adaptations of iconic source material like Voltron, The Witcher, and Castlevania. We can only hope they don’t screw it up while we are left forever wondering what could have been.