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A live-action reboot of Avatar: The Last Airbender is coming to Netflix. While the original creators — Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino — have since stepped down from the production, Netflix plans to carry on and release the series sometime in 2021. Given production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an exact release date remains unconfirmed. Since Netflix has gained the rights to produce the original series, questions surrounding the follow-up saga, The Legend of Korra, continue to surface. 

The Legend of Korra
John Michael Higgins, Janet Varney, David Faustino attend ‘The Legend of Korra’ signing | Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)

Will Netflix create a live-action version of The Legend of Korra? Will the headstrong and resilient Avatar — frequently stirring conflict and inclined toward fist-first resolutions — receive her live-action redo? 

Certain rumors suggest that a live-action ‘The Legend of Korra’ may be in the works 

A few months back, We Got This Covered released a story, asserting that Netflix is planning a live-action Korra series. According to the same sources who reported the Percy Jackson streaming series and the Justice League Dark Show coming to HBO Max, a live-action The Legend of Korra is on the way. 

WGTC claimed that Avatar: The Last Airbender will serve as a “litmus test” — virtually a device to see whether more money and resources should be invested into the franchise. If Avatar: The Last Airbender performs well, there may be profit in expanding the world and further gratifying the fandom. 

There’s only one catch: the reports came before the original creators backed down from The Last Airbender. Meaning, Netflix may not receive a blessing to continue on with Korra, even if The Last Airbender performs well for the streaming platform. 

Why Netflix should not release a live-action ‘The Legend of Korra’ 

Avatar: The Last Airbender was a cultural phenomenon — an animated kids show that portrayed gray morality, explored the depths of spirituality, and contemplated pacifism in the face of adversity. Not to mention, the show featured lead characters who represented various minorities and demographics. 

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Ever since the original creators backed out, concerns surrounding the cast and the thematic undertones of the live-action reboot have taken the internet by storm. There’s even a Change.org petition gaining steam — positing that the show will “whitewash” the cast and age-up its adolescent characters for romantic purposes. 

If the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender does away with the creators’ vision, Netflix should refrain from rebooting The Legend of Korra, as the backlash may outweigh the benefit. While all remains to be seen, losing the original creators (likely due to artistic differences) does not bode well. 

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