‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Live-Action Netflix Series: First Look At Fire Nation Cast

Netflix has unveiled the first official images of the actors portraying fan-favorite Fire Nation characters in the upcoming live-action adaptation of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.

The photos provide a fiery first glimpse at Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh, Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula, Ken Leung as Commander Zhao, and Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko.

Liu had been previously announced for the Zuko role, but until now, only an obscured shot of him in costume had been revealed. The latest photos showcase the impressive costumes and production design that bring the antagonistic Fire Nation royal family and commanders to life in live-action form.

Netflix’s live-action take on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series has been in development since 2018, with Albert Kim serving as showrunner. The first season will adapt the narrative from Book One: Water of the original cartoon, following young Avatar Aang as he awakens after 100 years and journeys with new friends Katara and Sokka to master the elements while evading capture from Zuko.

The series has faced some behind-the-scenes shakeups, with original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko departing the project in 2020. However, Kim and the rest of the creative team have expressed a commitment to honoring the source material and delivering a faithful adaptation for fans. This is of particular importance in light of the cinematic tragedy that was M. Knight Shymalan’s 2010 film "The Last Airbender," which was lambasted by fans and critics, and criticized for the "whitewashing" of its Asian-inspired source material.

While plot and character details remain under wraps, the first look images of the Fire Nation characters have sparked excitement — and debate — among ‘Avatar’ devotees.

“Bruh Azula has sharp features, not a soft baby face,” reads the top comment on Netflix’s Instagram post.

“All I know is I better see brown people for the water tribe,” reads another.

Netflix has yet to announce a release date, but production on the live-action ‘Avatar’ series is underway and will premiere in 2024. The streamer clearly has faith in the project, already greenlighting a second season. In the meantime, fans keen for more ‘Avatar’ content will also be looking forward to an upcoming theatrical feature film from the show’s original creators.

Images via Robert Falconer/Netflix