Night to Direct "Avatar: The Last Airbender" AdaptationNight to Direct "Avatar: The Last Airbender" Adaptation

Director M. Night Shymalan (you know, the guy this site is dedicated to...) has signed a three-picture deal with Par's MTV Films and Nick Movies to adapt a cartoon called Avatar: The Last Airbender to the silver screen.

Avatar, an animated series that currently airs on Nickelodeon, is described as "an Asian-influenced world of martial arts and elemental magic." The show's premise revolves around four distinct nations, each predicated on a particular element. They are Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. Certain inhabitants of each of the four nations have the ability to manipulate their nation's element. They are called "Benders." Within the show, one person in each generation is capable of manipulating all four. This person is known as the Avatar. The show's main character (and current Avatar) is Aang, pictured on the right.

On the surface, this deal would appear to conflict with Night's previous comments about what his next project might be. However, it is unknown when the first Avatar film will being production. Variety reports that Night "is also shopping other projects," so it is conceivable that Night may produce another original effort before diving into the Avatar series.

Fellow Nighters will surely, like ourselves, greet this news with just a bit of skepticism after Night's deal to direct the film adaptation of the popular novel Life of Pi fell through in 2003.

Posted by Chris on Jan-09, 4:23 pm