Origin Stories with Mike DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko Pt. 2 | Episode #3 | Avatar: Braving the Elements
It’s the second part of Avatar: Braving the Elements' two-episode illuminating chat with Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko!
Enter the amazing world of Avatar through the official companion podcast, Avatar: Braving the Elements from Nickelodeon. Join hosts Janet Varney (the voice of “Korra”) and Dante Basco (the voice of “Prince Zuko”) each week as they re-watch every episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender then break down key themes, notable battles, and behind-the-scenes trivia you can’t get anywhere else. Special guests from cast members to producers join them to explore elements of the Avatarverse, including the origins of the story and how Avatar was brought to life.
Listen to more episodes!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/search/label/Avatar%3A%20Braving%20the%20Elements
Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra on Paramount+ and Netflix!
From Screen Rant:
Avatar: Last Airbender Creators Tease Long Plan For Universe’s Future
Avatar creators Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino open up about their long-term plans for the Avatar universe and the multiple projects in the works.
Avatar: The Last Airbender co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino have opened up about their long-term plans for the franchise and the multiple upcoming projects in development set in the Avatar universe. The two currently lead Nickelodeon’s recently formed Avatar Studios, which is entirely devoted to telling new stories in the world of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The first project being developed by the studio is an animated feature film set to begin production sometime in 2021.
After the end of The Legend of Korra, fans wondered whether another Avatar show would ever happen. The franchise has established thousands of years of history and lore, prompting speculation over what stories could be told next in the Avatar universe. And while the years since Korra’s finale have seen the releases of numerous comics and novels set in the world of Avatar, fans have continued to call for new animated projects.
That wish is finally being granted by Avatar Studios, and the creators of the franchise have now given an update on their long-term plans. Speaking on Nickelodeon’s Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast, Konietzko and DiMartino discussed the multiple Avatar projects currently in development. From the sound of it, Avatar Studios will be producing many different kinds of stories that may appeal to a wide range of ages and audiences, which is exciting news for fans. Read Konietzko and DiMartino’s full quotes below.
DiMartino: “Looking at this giant picture we’re not like, ‘oh, we have all these ideas, maybe we’ll get to make one of them.’ But it’s like, we have all these ideas, and ideally we’ll get to, over the years, explore all of them and get to make them. But it’ll take some time.”
Konietzko: "A lot of time. It’s a long plan, and again it is multi-tiered, and what’s neat is that we want each of these projects to have its own feeling, its own tone, and look. And so it will all feel true to the Avatar world, but they will all be very different expressions of it, so it will really deepen it and expand it. And we’ve been lucky that the two series we’ve made already reached quite a diverse, you know, international young [and] old audience – people that aren’t really even into animation, or don’t even have kids, but have ended up watching the show. I think the new stuff will even push into other audiences. As always, we’re not chasing audiences, it’s always just, like, you gotta start from that genuine inspiration, and that test audience of us."
Avatar and The Legend of Korra occasionally dabbled in different animation styles, such as in Korra’s acclaimed Beginnings episode. The idea of new projects each having distinct visual styles as well as different tones and energies is certainly promising, and it sounds like each new show, movie, book or other project will have a specific role to play in the overarching story of the franchise. Later in the podcast, Konietzko and DiMartino joked that they could be working on Avatar for the next 20 years just based on the ideas they’re currently developing.
It should be exciting to see where and when Avatar Studios decides to take those new stories. Konietzko and DiMartino have mentioned both the past and future of the Avatar universe as being ripe for expansion, which means stories set both before Airbender and after The Legend of Korra are possible. It may take a long time for the new Avatar: The Last Airbender projects to start releasing to fans, but from the sound of it, they should be well worth the wait.
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From Screen Rant:
Avatar: Last Airbender Creators Explain Why Bosco Is Just A Regular Bear
Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko explain how Earth King's pet bear came to be just a bear & not a hybrid.
The creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender have finally come forward to answer the question that has been on every fan's mind: why was Bosco just a bear? The show follows the journey of a young boy named Aang and his friends as they travel the globe in order to help Aang master all four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) in order to defeat the Fire Lord and put an end to the 100 year war. It's a deeply fantastical world filled with people who can bend elements to their will, spirits that travel between worlds, and hybrid animals that capture the imagination. Among these animals are sky bison that soar through the air with ease, badger moles who were the first earthbenders, and Bosco, who is just a bear.
Bosco appears in season two of the show as the Earth King's pet and companion. When the characters first hear of him, they are absolutely perplexed and don't quite understand what he is. When Katara reads a letter that the King is having a celebration at the palace "for his pet bear," the gang launches into a series of assumptions about what type of bear it could be: platypus bear, skunk bear, armadillo bear, etc. before Katara shrugs and says "just...bear." The scene became a favorite to quote among fans as the idea of something being normal for once was just about the most unexpected thing the writers could do.
In an episode of Nickelodeon's Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast, the show's creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, sat down to discuss, among other things, how exactly Bosco the bear came to be. Essentially, Bosco is just a bear because the writers thought it would be funny. With an entire world made up of fantastical creatures and episodes upon episodes leading up to the reveal of the inner Earth Kingdom, the writers thought it would be really funny for the main characters to run into a plain old bear. Read Konietzko's explanation below:
This is when you have a bunch of really smart writers who went to Ivy League schools and stuff. First they're like 'hybrid animals?! We gotta do a bunch of jokes about that,' and then they're like 'wait, let's do a joke about not having a hybrid animal. That's it's own joke.'
In the same conversation, he also revealed that Bosco was named after the dog of a woman named Lisa who worked on the show, not as a nod to Dante Basco who voiced Prince Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender and General Iroh II in The Legend of Korra and is one of the hosts of the podcast. The show's creators looked for inspiration all throughout their office and would often make characters based on people they knew in real life. In the interview, Konietzko would go on to explain that Lisa's other dog inspired the Shirshu while June and Mai were both inspired by Lisa herself. Part of what made the two shows so great was the amount of care put into them and the fact that the creators were able to have fun and literally put themselves into the show was likely a big part of that.
With the future of the Avatar Universe looking bright despite the back and forth with Netflix about a live-action series, fans can look forward to even more fantastical creations filled with heart, including crazy hybrid animals and maybe even a bear or two. Konietzko even joked with the podcast hosts about a spin-off series about one of his favorite creatures, the eel hound. Although an all eel hound show is probably not in the works, they will most likely be making more appearances sometime soon.
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From Screen Rant:
ATLA Creator Says He Argues With Fans Over Being The First Korrasami Shipper
Fans of The Legend of Korra shipped Korra and Asami long before the relationship became canon, but creator Bryan Konietzko says he shipped them first.
The Legend of Korra co-creator Bryan Konietzko says he was the original Korrasami shipper. The Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel series famously ended with Korra and Asami beginning a romantic relationship with one another in what’s been viewed as a groundbreaking moment for LGBTQ+ representation in children’s and young adult media.
When The Legend of Korra ended in 2014, gay characters and relationships were nearly impossible to find on a kid-focused network like Nickelodeon. The show’s creators originally wanted Korra and Asami to kiss at the end of the finale to confirm beyond any doubt that they were in a romantic relationship, but that idea was shut down. Instead, the final shot of the series shows the two holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes as they journey into the Spirit World. Konietzko and co-creator Mike DiMartino confirmed the relationship afterward in an official statement.
Long before Korrasami was even close to canon, many fans had already called for the two characters to be brought together. However, on a recent episode of Nickelodeon’s Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast, Konietzko stated that he was the original Korrasami shipper, and that he had pushed for a relationship between the two since before the show’s first season even aired. Read Konietzko’s full quote below.
“Do I have a ship? Korrasami was my first ship. I was the first Korrasami shipper, and I’ve battled fans over this at cons who are like, ‘I was the first!’ And I’m like, ‘I was in the writer’s room with Mike when you didn’t know who Asami was, or Korra!’”
While LGBTQ+ representation in media is still far from where it ought to be, it has markedly improved in the realm of animation since Korra ended. Shows like Steven Universe, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Voltron: Legendary Defender, and others have helped expand the kinds of characters present in children’s media, and The Legend of Korra was a major early step forward on that road. However, there are still many studios, including Disney, that have continued to block any significant LGBTQ+ representation in their movies and shows.
Though Korrasami was never fully confirmed on screen, it has been explored in detail in the official Legend of Korra graphic novels. The three-part Turf Wars series explains much more about Korra and Asami’s relationship and how LGBTQ+ people are viewed in different parts of the Avatar world. The comic also reveals that one of Aang and Katara’s children, Kya, is also gay. Hopefully, the new Avatar projects being developed by Avatar Studios will continue the franchise’s trend of expanding representation through its characters and storylines.
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From Showbiz Cheat Sheet:
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Franchise Creator Says He Shipped 1 Couple Before Anyone Else
Strong opinions and a shared love for Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are part of the glue that holds the series’ fandom together. Along with choosing favorite characters or elements, many go hard for their favorite existing or non-existent couple in the TV show. Zutara, Kataang, Sukka, Korrasami, and Tokka linger in the hearts and minds of fans who are willing to debate their favorite ship.
Romantic connections are something that co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino conscientiously wanted to weave into the story, and Konietzko shared that he always saw one couple as endgame.
‘The Legend of Korra’ brought Korra and Asami together
Throughout Korra’s journey to understanding her avatar power, she also had to learn how to be human. That meant navigating personal relationships with her family, Tenzin, herself, and friends like Mako, Bolin, and Asami. It’s true she had a love thing going with Mako for a while — and Bolin had a major crush on her — but in the end, Makorra was not meant to be forever.
Korra found love with another acquaintance. Korra and Asami grew close as sisterly friends, and eventually their bond turned into romantic affection. At the end of the series, they walked off, hand in hand, into a new adventure.
Bryan Konietzko says Korrasami was always the plan
Michael DiMartino and Byran Konietzko appeared as guests on Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast to talk shop. On the topic of fan ships, Konietzko said, “Korrasami was my first ship. I was the first Korrasami shipper, and I’ve battled fans over this at cons who are like, ‘I was the first!’”
To defend his position, he shared that the characters’ entanglement was always a conversation in the writers’ room. He harkened back to their statement when the show ended in 2014, and noted they wished they could have taken Korra and Asami’s love story further.
“I’m glad we were part of that wave, and it was cool to see other shows — other animated shows — that were going on at the same time, even take it a little bit further,” he added.
With the new Avatar partnership in full bloom with Nickelodeon, perhaps these two storytellers have plans to explore the Korrasami angle some more. The ATLA world is a rich one, so it’s possible that all the familiar faces from past incarnations will pop up in new projects.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ ships Zutara and Kataang were always part of canon
Once DiMartino and Konietzko learned about shipping, they realized they’d been having those discussions about Aang, Zuko, and Katara all along.
“There was definite talk about Zuko-Katara, Aang and Katara, and that stuff,” said Konietzko of their writing process. Ah, the love triangle formed itself early. Though Zutara vs. Kataang is still debated to this day, Aang and Katara wound up together and continued their lineage with Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya.
Relive the magic of the Avatar universe by streaming both series on Netflix. And fans can check out the podcast online on platforms such as Apple, Spotify, and iHeart.
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From Winter Is Coming:
Avatar: The Last Airbender creators have big ideas for expanded universe
With a recent resurgence in popularity and Nickelodeon’s announcement of an expanded universe on the way, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Although the series ended its run back in 2008, it has remained a beloved part of the pop culture landscape, given a boost by the arrival of The Legend of Korra arrived in 2012.
For years, The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra have been the only onscreen stories in the Avatar universe (not counting the widely criticized live-action film), but that’s about to change. Through Avatar Studios, series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino will tell brand new tales in this world, spanning both films and television shows.
Apart from a new theatrical animated movie, Nickelodeon has kept its plans for expanding The Last Airbender universe mostly under wraps, but Konietzko and DiMartino hinted at some big ideas during a recent appearance on the Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast. The pair alluded to planning multiple projects, all of which will be unique and potentially tie into one another. According to Konietzko, they’re playing the long game when it comes to these stories, all with the intention of looking at the world of Avatar through different perspectives:
It’s a long plan, and again, it is multi-tiered. And what’s neat is that we want each of these projects to have its own feeling, its own tone, and look. And so, it will all feel true to the Avatar world, but they will all be very different expressions of it, so it will really deepen it and expand it.
Avatar: The Last Airbender creators have big plans that will “take some time” to execute
Of course, bringing an expanded universe from concept to completion is no simple feat. DiMartino acknowledged that it won’t happen overnight, suggesting fans may have to wait a while to see their plans unfold in their entirety:
We’re coming in now and we have unprecedented support from Nickelodeon, so it is the franchise, the shows and animated stuff, but also other stuff beyond, in publishing, and in podcasts like you’re doing and all that stuff. Looking at this giant picture, we’re not like, ‘Oh, we have all these ideas. Maybe we’ll get to make one of them.’ But it’s like, we have all these ideas, and ideally we’ll get to, over the years, explore all of them and get to make them. But it’ll take some time. If we make all this stuff, you guys will just be podcasting for about the next 20 years or so.
And just how many shows are we talking about here? Konietzko didn’t give an exact number, but it sounds like they’re aiming high. “Each of these projects [has] its own feeling, its own tone and look, so it will all feel true to the Avatar world, but they will all be very different expressions of it so it will really deepen it and expand it,” he said.
All of this gives The Last Airbender fans something to look forward to, especially since there’s been little news regarding Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the show. Whether the new additions to this universe will be worth the wait is another story, but the creators seem committed to improving upon the original subject matter — and that’s a promising start.
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From Gizmodo:
What Do You Want to See in the World of Avatar: The Last Airbender?
Series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino have teased Avatar's "multi-tiered" future.
“Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked.” OK, but how exactly? That’s one of the many, many questions that could be answered in a future Avatar: The Last Airbender series, as creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino launch Nickelodeon’s Avatar Studios. The pair have hinted at years of ideas—each one having its story and style within the world of Avatar—but we’ve got some ideas of our own.
“We want each of these projects to have its own feeling, its own tone and look. It’ll all feel true to the Avatar world, but they’ll all be different expressions of it,” Konietzko said on Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: Braving the Elements” podcast.
In a recent appearance on “Avatar: Braving the Elements,” hosted by The Legend of Korra’s Janet Varney and Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Dante Basco, Konietzko and DiMartino discussed their plans for Avatar Studios. Following the creators’ exit from Netflix’s planned Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, Nickelodeon launched an entire division dedicated to creating shows, films, novels, and other properties within the world of Avatar. DiMartino shared how Nickelodeon has given him and Konietzko a great deal of creative freedom to pursue projects that matter to them, and to the world of Avatar.
“The way we’re approaching it now is so different than Avatar. We’re coming in now and we have unprecedented support from Nickelodeon. It is the franchise, the shows and the animated stuff, but also other stuff beyond in publishing and podcasts,” he said. “We have all these ideas. And ideally we’re gonna get to, over the years, explore all of them and make them. But it’ll take a long time.”
The pair were reluctant to talk about any of the ideas they’re percolating—all we know currently is that there’s a full-length animated film in the works—but Konietzko noted how they’re looking at both the “history and future” of Avatar’s world. That’s quite a big range, spanning thousands of years and countless Avatar regenerations. So far (apart from the books and graphic novels), we’ve been mostly limited to the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and companion series The Legend of Korra, which took place after Avatar Aang’s death. The idea of getting to go back (or forward) hundreds or even thousands of years promises such a huge playground. Game of Thrones, eat your heart out.
“We just keep tapping into this wellspring in the way that inspires us, and finding great creative partners to work with us and to help us explore these ideas. Mike and I have sort of mapped out a very ambitious, multi-tiered—I don’t know, it feels like a big octopus,” Konietzko said. “We’re just looking at how we can go deeper into this big, rich, largely untapped history and future in the Avatar world. There are ideas that we’ve been excited about for a long time, that we’re finally getting to really dive into. And then there’s things that we’re just figuring out, just getting excited about. If we were just trying to take requests, it’s not the way to carve out a big fantasy universe.”
Sure, Konietzko said they’re not taking requests for show and movie ideas—but that’s not going to stop us from making suggestions! Personally, I’d love to see the story of the Second Avatar, after Wan. We learned about Wan in The Legend of Korra and how he became the First Avatar, but I’d love to see the first reincarnation. How did they react to being the first person born with this huge responsibility of maintaining balance between the physical and spiritual worlds—and, perhaps more importantly, how did the world react to them? I’d also love to hear your ideas (and fanfic) for expanding the world of Avatar in future shows and films. Let me know in the comments!
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From Animated Times:
Avatar : The Last Airbender’s Universe Is Expanding !
Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a worldwide hit and the co-creators Brayn Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino have finally opened up about their future long – term plans for the franchise and the multiple upcoming projects which could be in development to be set in the Avatar universe.
These two at the moment lead Nickelodeon’s very newly formed Avatar Studios, which is entirely focused on conveying the new stories in the world of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The very first project which is being developed by this studio is set to be an animated feature film set to begin production sometime soon in 2021.
Fans were very curios on what would happen after the way The Legend of Korra ended.
The franchise has done an amazing job with the story and as a result established thousands of years of history and lore which can prompt speculation of what stories could be told further in the Avatar universe.
It obviously been a long time since Korra’s finale and we have seen the releases of numerous comics and novels set in the world of Avatar and fans have itching for all the new animated projects! (How can we not want more of it?)
Looks like the wish of the fans is finally being granted by Avatar Studios, and the creators of the popular franchise have finally given an update on their long – term plans.
In the Nickelodeon’s Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast, Brayn Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino gave away few details while discussing the multiple Avatar projects which are currently in development.
From what they said, looks like that Avatar Studios is planning to produce different types of stories which will be enjoyed with all kind of people belonging to different age groups which is a great news for fans.
Quoting the OG creators;
Di Martino “Looking at this giant picture we’re not like, ‘oh, we have all these ideas, maybe we’ll get to make one of them.’ But it’s like, we have all these ideas, and ideally we’ll get to, over the years, explore all of them and get to make them. But it’ll take some time.”
Konietzo “It’s a long plan, and again it is multi-tiered, and what’s neat is that we want each of these projects to have its own feeling, its own tone, and look. And so it will all feel true to the Avatar world, but they will all be very different expressions of it, so it will really deepen it and expand it. And we’ve been lucky that the two series we’ve made already reached quite a diverse, you know, international young [and] old audience – people that aren’t really even into animation, or don’t even have kids, but have ended up watching the show. I think the new stuff will even push into other audiences. As always, we’re not chasing audiences, it’s always just, like, you gotta start from that genuine inspiration, and that test audience of us.”
Avatar and The Legend of Korra tried out different animation styles as seen in Korra’s Beginnings episode. The idea of new projects each having different visual styles and different energies and it definitely will be quite promising!
The creators even joked about they could work on Avatar for the next 20 years just based on all the ideas they are developing.
It is definitely exciting to see how when and where Avatar Studios decide to take these new stories. The creators have mentioned on how there could be a scope of both past and future for the expansion.
Sounds like it is going to be extremely exciting.
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More Nick: Nickelodeon Establishes Avatar Studios; Announces Animated 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Movie!
Originally published: June 30, 2021 at 02:33 BST.
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