Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has been granted a renewal, yet it comes with a significant shift behind the scenes. Albert Kim, who held the position of showrunner, has decided to depart from the project.
According to a report from Variety, Jabbar Raisani, recognized for his work on “Lost in Space,” and Christine Boylan, known for “Poker Face,” will step in as executive producers for the forthcoming two seasons. This transition follows Albert Kim’s announcement of his departure from the series. While Netflix has not formally declared the change in leadership, Kim is slated to join Disney Plus, where he will take on the role of executive producer for the streaming platform’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. Furthermore, he will be involved in developing new projects.
The narrative traces back to 2020 when Albert Kim assumed the role of showrunner for “Avatar” after Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino unexpectedly departed due to creative disparities. Konietzko and DiMartino, the original co-creators of Nickelodeon’s “Avatar” series, eventually returned to Nickelodeon to produce additional series under the Avatar Studio banner. In contrast, Raisani and Boylan, both esteemed for their previous work, are anticipated to deliver innovative and compelling episodes for the series.
Notably, throughout its history, “Avatar” has seen success despite changes in leadership, consistently producing acclaimed episodes. The American animated fantasy action series garnered widespread praise for its characters, cultural allusions, direction, soundtrack, humor, and thematic depth.