Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is arriving sooner than fans expected, and Paramount+ has finally released the first trailer for the animated film.
Variety reported that the movie will now premiere in July instead of October.
Just Jared reported that Paramount set the global streaming debut for July 25, after the film had previously been scheduled for an Oct. 9 release.
The Trailer Sends Aang on a New Mission
The first trailer shows Aang years after the events of the original animated series, still carrying the weight of being the last airbender. Paramount+ says the story follows Aang as he learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction, then sets out with his friends to find it before it falls into the wrong hands.
The new footage also introduces Tagah, an ancient airbender voiced by Dave Bautista. Entertainment Weekly reported that Aang discovers Tagah frozen at the top of a mountain, a discovery that pushes the film into questions of survivor’s guilt, cultural survival and what it means to rebuild the Air Nomads.
Team Avatar Is Older This Time
The movie takes place roughly 10 years after Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Toph ended the Hundred Year War. That places the film between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, making it both a sequel to the original series and a prequel to the later Nickelodeon show.
Eric Nam voices Aang, with Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, Steven Yeun as Zuko and Dionne Quan as Toph. Paramount+ also lists Dave Bautista as Tagah, with additional cast members including Freida Pinto, Ke Huy Quan, Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Ronny Chieng and Ken Jeong.
Dee Bradley Baker reprises his roles as Appa and Momo, keeping one key link to the original animated series even as the main human characters return with new voice actors.
The Release Shift Comes After a Difficult Rollout
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Entertainment Weekly reported that the movie was originally meant for theatrical release before shifting to streaming, and that the full film leaked online in April.
The filmmakers described the leak as painful, but they also framed the official release as a chance for fans to finally see the finished movie properly.
Paramount+ is also planning a major San Diego Comic-Con push, including a Hall H panel on July 23 and a fan screening on July 24, one day before the streaming premiere.
Avatar Studios Is Building a Larger Future
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender is the first feature-length film from Avatar Studios, the Nickelodeon-backed division created to expand the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
Lauren Montgomery directed the film, with Steve Ahn and William Mata as co-directors. Paramount+ says the story was created by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, Tim Hedrick and Kenneth Lin, with a screenplay by Hedrick and Christopher Yost.
The movie arrives as the franchise is active on multiple fronts, including Netflix’s live-action series and the upcoming animated sequel series Avatar: Seven Havens. Paramount+ describes Seven Havens as a two-book series set after The Legend of Korra, centered on a new Earthbender Avatar in a world changed by catastrophe.