Avatar: The Last Airbender showrunner opens up about "tough" time when original creators quit the Netflix show
Jan. 19, 2024Exclusive: Albert Kim speaks to SFX magazine about his involvement in the Netflix show, and why it was such a blow when the original creators exited
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“There was a moment where I stepped back to think, ‘What is this going to look like without them involved?'” Kim says candidly. “I felt very confident in the direction that we had charted. Netflix was also very enthusiastic about where we were going with everything, so it felt organic to continue with the show, even after they left. But it wasn’t easy.”
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“There definitely was a moment of like, ‘Wow, it’s gonna be tough,'” Kim admits. “I would have loved to have them as people I could talk to and consult, and collaborate with. But again, that was a personal decision on their part. After that happened, it was just about moving forward as best we could, and what we felt was best for the project.”
Luckily though, the showrunner adds that his time on the project with DiMartino and Konietzko allowed him the chance to pick their brains at least. “I was really thrilled to ask them everything, from even outside of what the show’s going to be about, and just my own personal interests having followed the show for so long,” he adds of their talks together. “It was a blast being able to do that. And then we started to talk about what the show should be and could be.”
Starring Gordon Cormier, Dallas Liu, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Elizabeth Yu, and Daniel Dae Kim, the new Netflix series tells the beginning of this beloved story. It follows Aang, the last living Airbender able to bend all four elements, as he is faced with the colossal challenge of maintaining the balance of the world and nature amid constant threats.
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Avatar: The Last Airbender is released on Netflix on February 22. The above is just a snippet of our interview, available inthe latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Halo season 2 on the cover and is available on newsstands from Wednesday, January 24. For even more from SFX, sign up for thenewsletter, sending all the latest exclusives straight to your inbox.
Tara is the NYT bestselling author (or co-author) of 30 movie and TV companion books including the upcoming official history of Marvel Studios. She’s also a freelance journalist with bylines at print and online publications such as: SCI FI Magazine, Total Film, SYFY Wire, Today.com, Fandom, Fandango/Movies.com, Fancast, Newsarama, Star Wars: Insider, Walking Dead Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, LOST: The Official Magazine, Alias Magazine, 24 Magazine, andVFXWorld.com. She is also the U.S. Editor for the world’s premiere sci-fi/fantasy publication, SFX Magazine. She is the host and producer for SYFY Wire’s official podcasts for USA Network’s, Colony, HISTORY’s Project Blue Book official podcast, and the Lost retrospective, Through the Looking Glass co-hosted with Maureen Ryan.
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