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2026 is set to be one of the biggest years for Avatar: The Last Airbender, as for the first time in years, Aang and his friends are finally set to receive a brand new story. The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is set to arrive on Paramount+ later this year, giving bending enthusiasts an adventure wherein the airbender and his friends are adults. Recently, one former member of the cast, who brought to life one of the most popular characters of the franchise, revealed that they didn’t have much faith in the series before it arrived on the airwaves of Nickelodeon.
Dante Basco, the voice actor responsible for breathing life into Prince Zuko, revealed that he did not expect the now-beloved franchise to become the juggernaut it is today. Specifically, Basco stated on his Instagram, “There were like twenty-foot murals of classic Nickelodeon shows, and I’m reading through the script. It’s like this epic anime-inspired Asian tale, and I’m like, “This is not Nickelodeon.” While Avatar: The Last Airbender would end following its third season, the Nick franchise would spawn a sequel in The Legend of Korra, and the upcoming series, Avatar: Seven Havens. While Basco has long been a major part of the franchise, fans are a bit disheartened by what the future holds for the voice actor in the bending universe.
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Zuko’s Wild Future
The Avatar franchise has had quite the wild ride when it comes to news recently, as The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leaked online months before its release on Paramount+. Already seeing major controversy thanks to Paramount’s decision to nix the film’s theatrical run, instead vying for it to be a streaming exclusive, many fans’ minds were blown when an HD version of the follow-up film hit the ‘net. Long before these facts came to light, The Legend of Aang was receiving criticism of a different sort.
Considering that the benders are now adults in this feature-length film, the original cast won’t be reprising their roles this time around. For Prince Zuko, for example, Dante Basco won’t be stepping back into the shoes of the latest Fire Lord, but instead, The Walking Dead actor, Steven Yeun, will take on the part of the fire bender. Luckily, there is always the chance of Basco returning to his role, as the Avatar franchise has managed to bring back classic characters in earlier forms thanks to the benders’ journeys into the spirit realm. The most logical place for something like this to happen is with the upcoming Avatar: Seven Havens, the television sequel that will take place following the life of Korra. Focusing on a far more dystopian future than anything we’ve seen from the franchise so far, fans can expect Seven Haven’s to land on Paramount+ next year in 2027.
What do you think of this tale from the past when it came to Avatar: The Last Airbender? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the Forum!
Via Dante Basco Instagram
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