A new Aang: The Last Airbender, an animated sequel movie.

Nickelodeon has now announced that a new animated series titled Avatar: Seven Havens is in development. The Avatar Studios show, which is set after the events of The Legend of Korra, will be a 26-episode 2D animated series split into two 13-episode seasons, or "books." It was created by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the duo behind the original series. The new series is set to follow the Avatar after Korra, an Earthbender in a ravaged world who is destined to be a destroyer rather than a savior, which puts a target on her back. Read the official synopsis below:

Avatar: Seven Havens is set in a world shattered by a devastating cataclysm. A young Earthbender discovers she's the new Avatar after Korra – but in this dangerous era, that title marks her as humanity's destroyer, not its savior. Hunted by both human and spirit enemies, she and her long-lost twin must uncover their mysterious origins and save the Seven Havens before civilization’s last strongholds collapse.

DiMartino and Konietzko will executive produce the series alongside Ethan Spaulding, while Sehaj Sethi will be a co-executive producer. Below, read a statement on the project from Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation president Ramsey Naito, who made the announcement, in addition to a statement from DiMartino and Konietzko:

Ramsey Naito: For two decades, the richly crafted world of Avatar: The Last Airbender has introduced audiences to a world of compelling characters and groundbreaking storylines, captivating fans globally. We can’t wait to embark on the next chapter of this epic saga, with a new story set within the Avatarverse, envisioned by the original creators, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko: When we created the original series, we never imagined we’d still be expanding the world decades later. This new incarnation of the Avatarverse is full of fantasy, mystery, and a whole new cast of amazing characters. Get ready to take another epic and emotional adventure!

What This Means For Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: Seven Havens Resurrects A Franchise Staple After A Decade

While the franchise has carried on in multiple ways since the Legend of Korra finale aired in 2014, Avatar: Seven Havens marks the first new animated series in the franchise in more than 10 years. It is also the first series in the overall franchise since that point that is not retelling the story of the original Last Airbender run. While it is unknown if the show will feature any returning characters from the Avatar universe, the precedent set by Korra indicates that it could drop hints about how the lives of previous characters played out during the intervening years.

The Legend of Korra took place 70 years after Avatar: The Last Airbender but featured both alive and dead returning characters, including Aang, Earthbender Toph, Waterbender Katara, and Katara's brother Sokka.

Unless it is renewed for further seasons beyond Book 2, Avatar: Seven Havens will be the shortest animated series yet in the franchise. However, the original The Last Airbender only ran for three seasons (with a total of 61 episodes) while Legend of Korra ran for four (with a total of 52). Thus, despite its lower episode and season count, the new show is in keeping with the fact that the previous series have told stories with a specific scope leading toward a particular endpoint.

Our Take On Avatar: Seven Havens

It Could Push The Franchise In A New Direction

Seven Havens will become the latest show on the Avatar: The Last Airbender timeline, and the synopsis teases that it might be the darkest installment yet. The premise seems downright post-apocalyptic, which could add a new subgenre to the fantasy-action-martial arts franchise and bring a new texture to the story. The fact that the Avatar herself will be seen as a dark figure is a new wrinkle, which could make the story of the new series feel intriguingly different in a variety of ways.

Source: Nickelodeon