Playing Aang in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender is a role that Gordon Cormier takes very seriously. The actor is on record as saying he watched the original Nickelodeon series 26 times in preparation for tackling the live-action role. And it shows. Cormier's Aang is fantastic, perfectly capturing the kind and goofy traits of the character while also balancing those out with a weightier, more emotional side. Also he knows how to do the martial arts moves.
While Netflix's Avatar remake was far from a shot-for-shot adaptation, it still managed to be a standout success. It adapted so many iconic scenes, while also putting its own darker spin on things — sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. The streamer has already renewed the show through to its natural conclusion.
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 will begin filming later this month. We'll get an update on season 2 during Netflix's big showcase event Geeked Week, which begins on September 16. In the meantime, Cormier has been expressing his excitement about bringing to life several iconic storylines from the animated show. If you want to avoid any and all spoilers, you may want to avoid his quote below.
"Introducing Zuko into the gang is going to be really dope," Cormier told ComicBook. "The Ozai fight would also be super sick. That's going to be so cool with all the effects and everything. I think that's going to look awesome."
Personally, I'm also really looking forward to seeing Zuko become a part of the Gaang. His storyline is one of the highlights of the entire series; some people have cited Zuko's journey as one of the finest character arcs of all time. Of all the fights to come, none excite me as much as the one from "The Chase," which sees Aang, Zuko, and Azula to engage in one epic fight.
Ahead of filming season 2, Cormier has revealed that he's slowed down in his quest to binge as much Avatar as possible. "I mean, after watching it 26 times, you really start to figure it out. But I've definitely watched it a few times since then," he said.
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 won't be out anytime soon. Sometime in 2026, or even early 2027, seems likely. In the meantime, season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. Or you could try and watch the animated show more than 26 times like Gordon Cormier!
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