The limitlessness of animation has given way to endless possibilities that have dominated the world of television since 1949 when Crusader Rabbit was viewed as a trailblazer for the genre. Throughout the decades, there was a demand that met the popularity of mainstream animation. Syndicated stations quickly tackled the trend of animation being produced for cable and contributed to the ceaseless distribution of cartoons. Larger corporations viewed the animation industry as a lucrative outlet and began to invest, later asking two-dimensional animation forms to later evolve into computer animation and similar media. Despite the exponential growth and impressive scale of innovation that animation has undergone, there is still interest in creating new content for the traditional format.

Avatar: The Last Airbender first aired on Nickelodeon and ran for an extent of three seasons. Deemed one of the best animated shows of the 2000s, The Last Airbender depicted a war-torn and divided quad of nations. Living among them are Benders, those who are gifted with the natural ability to control a singular element — water, earth, fire, or air — though there is only one master of them all: the Avatar. 12-year-old Avatar Aang is discovered by Sokka and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and from there, they joined him on his journey to perfect his Bending and end the Fire Nation's rule. The series was inspired by an array of Asian cultures, customs, practices, and beliefs, honoring pan-Asian diversity through an original perspective. It has been hotly debated whether The Last Airbender can fully claim to self-identify as a Western anime due to anime's Japanese origins, but the distinctly identifiable art style used throughout the series consists of a hybrid of Western and Eastern influences. The series has consistently upheld its popularity, which underwent a resurgence after the cartoon was rehoused on Netflix, thus resulting in a renaissance of the Avatar fandom. With the deeply adored series swept up in the world of popular culture once more, there has been excitement over the possibility of a new animated series emerging within the coming years.

Related: 5 Little Known Facts About Avatar: The Last Airbender Characters

Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon
MTV Networks

The infinity of its worldbuilding and the timeless tone of the storytelling has gifted Avatar: The Last Airbender with the ability to age with grace. There is general intrigue around the world itself, filled with unusual creatures and fascinating human abilities. The series taps into narrative tropes while being able to do more than just include them. Avatar: The Last Airbender succeeded in becoming a truly compelling, undeniably interesting cartoon. The core Gaang developed into complex, relatable characters, and the series allowed each to memorable, important identities for themselves. Drawing its aesthetic and thematic influences from China, Japan, Inuit, and Indian backgrounds, while carefully honoring these cultures, The Last Airbender represented people who otherwise didn't see themselves in cartoons of the time.

The series embraced identity and encouraged self-acceptance throughout every corner of the cartoon. There is an emphasis in understanding that people are not one-dimensional and that there is more to them than what resonates at a surface level. Similarly, the incredible depth that the series goes into while exploring the intricacies of the Avatar Airbender Universe reminds the audience that there is so much more in existence than the world that we may be familiar with. It welcomed natural curiosities and promoted the idea that we only bend to our own will. There is not a moment where the series undermines its viewership or its own intelligence because it is a cartoon series. Its unwavering spirit is not broken because it has been deemed as a "children's show," which is why so many entering their adult years are able to reflect on such a fond relationship with the series.

How Many Avatar Airbender Universe Animated Series Are There?

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Nickelodeon

Avatar: The Last Airbender was an introductory pilot that solidified itself as a basis for the Avatar Airbender Universe moving forward. While the pilot series was only granted three seasons, the demand from fans for more warranted that the saga was not to be abandoned altogether. A long-rumored fourth season still finds itself flitting through the internet intermittently, though these rumors have remained to be just as such. Nickelodeon released The Legend of Korra as a direct spinoff of Avatar: The Last Airbender in 2012, and the sophomore series spanned four seasons. The secondary cartoon honored the first by heavily incorporating its predecessor into its plot. Character cameos and their influential presences contributed to shaping Korra's universe as she was featured as the newest Avatar. Right now, there are only two animated series in the Avatar Airbender Universe.

That being said, Netflix announced that they would be developing a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were initially onboard the project, but have since departed due to creative differences. The announcement naturally instilled a feeling of skepticism, particularly since the first live-action attempt, M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender movie, was a flop and collectively rejected by long-time fans. Nevertheless, Netflix has begun filming the series and full cast announcements have, at the very least, suggested a step in the right direction.

Related: Reasons Why Netflix's Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series Could Succeed (& Why It Could Fail)

Will There Be a New Animated Series in the Franchise?

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Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon has since declared that the newly formed Avatar Studios would continue to create new and original content for the Avatar Airbender Universe. Subsequently with the news, they shared that DiMartino and Konietzko have once again joined forces to create the series' first full-length animated feature film. “We are in the early stages of developing and exploring what we are calling an entire Avatar Airbender universe,” Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures Chief Executive Officer Brian Robbins said in an interview with Deadline. “Mike and Bryan are hard at work, and I think that universe will encompass definitely a theatrical film, animation, certainly multiple TV series and probably multiple films. I think we will be ready very soon to tell the world what is coming first, but we are not there yet because we’re in early stages of creative development.”

The statement promises that there will indeed be a new animated series in the Avatar Airbender Universe. It's reassuring for those who have longed for Nickelodeon to revisit the world that has resonated with such significance to its fanbase. The probability of multiple films that have the potential to develop furthermore as additional titles are produced has the opportunity to expand on the upcoming animation and television series that are assumed to attach themselves to Paramount Pictures in some capacity. Additional details have been slim, though one thing is for sure: Avatar will return.