Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creative minds behind Avatar: The Last Airbender, will no longer work with Netflix on the live-action series adaptation.
In a blog post on Wednesday, DiMartino announced his and Konietzko's departure. The reason, apparently, is creative differences. DiMartino noted that when they signed up for the project in 2018, they were hired as "executive producers and showrunners." He stressed that Netflix claimed to be "committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series." Unfortunately, according to DiMartino, "things did not go as we had hoped."
Konietzko made the same announcement on his Instagram account. However, he begged off answering questions and referred fans to DiMartino's account.
View this post on InstagramWell, friends... there you have it. Big sigh. ️ I’m sure many of you will understandably want to know more and will ask me questions in the comments, here and on subsequent posts and live-streams and in-person encounters and everywhere else ad infinitum. I wish I could explain things in greater detail, but the above statement is really all I can say about the matter so I won’t be answering any of those. I encourage you to head over to my partner Michael DiMartino’s account to get his take on our departure too: @mike_dante_d Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, and I’m sorry our involvement in the live-action project did not work out. Time to get on with my life. Onward and upward. Love, Bryan #avatarthelastairbender #cocreators #michaeldimatino #bryankonietzko #bryke #atla #liveactionseries #netflix A post shared by Bryan Konietzko (@bryankonietzko) on Aug 12, 2020 at 9:00am PDT
Netflix announced onboarding of DiMartino and Konietzko on the project in 2018.
Still, DiMartino believes that Netflix's adaptation has the potential to be good. Nevertheless, he added that "whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make."
DiMartino admitted that while he "couldn't control the creative direction of the series," he can choose to leave, and he did. He said leaving the project was the hardest professional decision he has ever had to make; however, "it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity," he stressed.
Netflix responds to DiMartino and Konietzko's exist
Netflix spokesperson told The Verge that they have complete respect and admiration for Michael and Bryan and on the story that the pair created. "Although they have chosen to depart the live-action project, we are confident in the creative team and their adaptation," he added.
The will continued with Nickelodeon and producer Dan Lin.
Perhaps fans are concerned because the M. Night Shyamalan live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender did not go well. It also did not involve DiMartino and Konietzko.
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