Netflix is moving full speed ahead with its live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Not only have they wrapped on season 2, but they're already moving on season 3, as revealed in this cute little video:
The first season dropped in early 2024 and the second probably won't air until early 2026, or maybe late this year. But it's good to see that Netflix is getting a move on. Season 3 will mark the end of the show, so hopefully the wait between seasons 2 and 3 will be bearable. At a time when waits between seasons of big shows like this are getting longer and longer, it's good to see a studio be proactive.
The show is also staffing up. Season 2 will feature the returns of cast members Gordon Cormier (Aang), Kiawentiio (Katara), Ian Ousley (Sokka), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Elizabeth Yu (Azula), Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Iroh), Daniel Dae Kim (Ozai), Momona Tamada (Ty Lee) and Thalia Tran (Mai). But there will be a lot of new folk joining the cast in season 2, including:
- Miya Cech as Toph
- Chin Han as Long Feng
- Hoa Xuande as Professor Zei
- Justin Chien as King Kuei
- Amanda Zhou as Joo Dee
- Crystal Yu as Lady Beifong
- Kelemete Misipeka as The Boulder
- Lourdes Faberes as General Sung
- Rekha Sharma as Amita
- Dichen Lachman as Yangchen
- Terry Chen as Jeong Jeong
- Lily Gao as Ursa
- Madison Hu as Fei
- Dolly de Leon as Lo and Li
Some of those names will stand out to fans. Obviously the biggest is the addition of Miya Cech as Toph, a blind Earthbending prodigy who becomes part of Aang's inner circle as he and his friends set out to save the world from the tyranny of the Fire Nation. We'll also meet her mother Lady Beifong and the Boulder, a professional wrestling-type whom Toph defeats in a tournament.
We also see characters from the Ba Sing Se storyline, one of the most beloved storylines from the original show. Ba Sing Se is the capital of the Earth Kingdom, where our heroes will spend a lot of time in season 2. Joo Dee is the very creepy propagandist who assures citizens of the city that everything is fine and that the war with the Fire Nation will never come to Ba Sing Se, despite all evidence to the contrary. And Long Feng is the leader of the personal guard to the Earth King.
In terms of actors, you might recognize Dichen Lachman from her role as Mark's wife Gemma on Severance. She plays a long-dead Airbending Avatar named Yangchen. In the original show, Aang doesn't commune with Yangchen until the third season, so it looks like they're moving things up a bit for the remake.
Netflix also lets us know about a couple people joining the cast for season 3, including Tantoo Cardinal as the sinister Earthbender Hama and Jon Jon Briones as the blademaster Piandao.
The episode with Hama is a standout from the third season, so I'm glad to see that Netflix is already laying the groundwork for it. I'm just glad they're thinking ahead in general.
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