More interesting news from a set visit, this time from Starlog.com. During the visit Frank Marshall provided information on the status of the scripts for movies 2 and 3, and gave information on just how much time it will take to complete this epic trilogy.
“We’re shooting them one at a time, because they’re being written one at a time,” says veteran producer… Frank Marshall. “Night is now working on the script for the second movie, but he hasn’t had time to write the second or third ones. He’s looking at the arc of all three. One of the things we’ll be doing is using the sets, ships and elements for each different nation in this film and incorporating them into movies two and three. We’re not waiting. There just isn’t enough time. Night will finish this movie, then the script and then we’ll prepare for the next one. I think it’ll probably happen over six years.”
The set visit also included some talk time with Shyamalan himself, who emphasized just how important he felt the film was.
“THE LAST AIRBENDER will be a very entertaining movie, a really fun summer film,” says Shyamalan. “But underneath that, it’s serious and talks about genocide, balance, our connection to the planet and all those things that interest me if you’ve seen the other movies that I’ve made. It felt like an important film.”
The Last Airbender himself, Noah Ringer, explained how much fun it was adapting the cartoon to the big screen.
“The movie is definitely different [from the TV series], but if we would’ve done the same thing as the cartoon, what would be exciting about that? It’s fun to change that and do something new.”
And not to be left out Dev Patel did some explaining; about his character Prince Zuko’s past and the relationship with his Uncle Iroh, played by Shaun Toub.
“Zuko is a boy, and he’s struggling to impress his father and trying to get his honor and love back,” remarks Patel. “And then there’s Shaun Toub, who plays my Uncle, and who treats Zuko like a son. Like in life, you take your anger out on the people you love the most, and Zuko sort of neglects his uncle because he’s on this one-track mission to find this boy. ”
With the filming almost complete on the first movie and an overwhelming positive response to the new teaser trailer The Last Airbender is well on it’s way to being “THE” box office hit of next summer.
Tags: Dev Patel, Frank Marshall, Noah Ringer, shyamalan
June 30, 2009 at 7:53 am |
Hahaha, Noah sounds just like a regular Avatar forum goer.
June 30, 2009 at 9:01 am |
Ugh.. 6 years? So the third book will be shown on 2016?! I’ll be on my 30s by then. Oh well…
June 30, 2009 at 10:57 am |
Seeing as we all already know what’s going to happen, this is one film I won’t mind reading spoilers about! Going to watch this one very closely over the coming months!
June 30, 2009 at 3:50 pm |
Six years is a short time to wait for this. AVATAR!
June 30, 2009 at 4:38 pm |
6 years ? Seeing the series spanned only about a year, with the characters only aging about a year, I hope they do keep in account the age problem.
Harry Potter didn’t have that much of a problem, since the characters all advanced about a year, each movie.
June 30, 2009 at 6:36 pm |
6 years?? I’ll be ANCIENT by then. ;_;
I like how Dev is being all serious about the role because before he was like “It’ll be a big laugh. I’m just playing a cartoon character.” but now he’s really getting deep into it. Thanks for the news.
June 30, 2009 at 7:06 pm |
I’m glad M. Night Shyamalan is doing this film. The insight on spirituality the TV version had was huge. I believe M.’s got insight on that as well.
As it is true TV shows & movies influence our children, I’m so happy this is the content and not just how many pocket monsters a kid can collect in a lightlt veiled kid’s version of dog fighting.
I can’t wait!
June 30, 2009 at 7:48 pm |
That’s slightly unfortunate. Let’s hope it doesn’t take THAT long. And hopefully the aging of the younger actors doesn’t prove to be a problem.
June 30, 2009 at 7:59 pm |
One movie every 2 years or so, that’s not bad. I’m totally looking forward to seeing all of them!
June 30, 2009 at 8:25 pm |
So he’s already working on the second one? That’s exciting. If they start filming before they release the first one then there will be news about the second movie before we even see the first! Haha!
July 1, 2009 at 3:13 am |
A new movie every 2 years is about average as far as film series go, anyway. And at any rate, this should lead up to an extremely epic showdown between Aang and Ozai!
July 1, 2009 at 3:43 am |
Maybe they’ll change the story line and tell him he has longer then 9 months to master the elements to avoid the age conflict…
July 1, 2009 at 8:59 am |
Noah Ringer actually reminds me a lot of Aang!
July 1, 2009 at 10:59 am |
OMG! They could get in a new cast for each film! That way they could ensure they all stay young and they could even throw in an asian Aang for the second or third film for all of those people complaining that Aang isn’t white haha…
Jks… Please don’t take that seriously.
I don’t think the age will be that noticeable… I mean it’s six years… Not 20 years… Plus they have make up and special effects these days lol. Look at the front cover of the movie “National treasure 2″ Nicolas Cage looks like he is about 24 and we all know he’s older than that… With the technology they have these days that’s know big deal. Just a bit of suspended belief… I mean Daniel Radcliff is meant to be a 16 year old in the new Harry Potter film (The Half Blood Prince), He’s 20 atm… No one picks up on that when they watch the film and go “Hang on… He’s way to old…”
July 30, 2009 at 6:33 pm |
You don’t think there will be a huge difference between the way Noah looks as a 12 year old and the way he looks as an 18 year old.
July 1, 2009 at 11:00 am |
Anyways… Looking forward to seeing the next trailer… Hopefully we get to see all the elements being bent, as well as Zuko, Sokka and Katara. I just wish they had done Dev’s hair the way it’s meant to be… I mean he gets paid how much to play a character? Hair grows back mate… Is it really that hard to shave it?
July 2, 2009 at 2:35 am |
wow. 6 years? then that means that 12 year old noah ringer will be 18 in the 3rd movie!
July 2, 2009 at 3:32 am |
Well, it’s not JUST the hair. I mean, honestly. Would Dev Patel look good with that kind of hair? Would just about ANY decent actor? Honestly, I never really liked his hair in the cartoon, even if it did make it seem more… “authentic.” My main problem with the hair is how he’s supposed to disguise himself when he joins the gaang. It’s not half as dramatic if he already has a full head of hair. OK, so maybe that is a good reason to have him have just the ponytail. Maybe, but I’m probably going to enjoy the movie anyway. I fall for this kind of stuff, even when all my friends hate it. Unless it’s Dragonball. I was never into Dragonball, but the movie just looks stupid. Even I know that Piccolo should be more green.
July 2, 2009 at 7:08 pm |
All right! Looks like Dev really knows what he’s doing! I was afraid he wouldn’t really “get” the character of Zuko, but it seems he does.
July 2, 2009 at 11:22 pm |
People,the first movie will be in theaters starting early july 2010. Work on this movie started in what,late 2008,early 2009? That means that each movie should take about two years to produce, which means the next avatar movie could be shot as early as late next year(or early 2011) and be on screen around summer 2012,and the last one could be shot late 2012/early 2013 and be onscreen around summer 2014. In that case Noah Ringer would be no older than 15?(don’t know the boys birthday,so it’s a bit of a guess). No matter what, i’m a big fan of the show and i’m really looking forward to see what they’re gonna do with it.(if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, we should be in for a treat).
July 3, 2009 at 2:32 am |
I’m a huge fan of the cartoon series and I am looking forward to this.
I want to work on this series as much as any other Hollywood based art person wants to.
July 3, 2009 at 5:30 am |
wow 6 years, anyways im not gonna spoil myself to much with this movie just stuff like interview and trailers, cant wait to see the movie, and i think its gonna turn out great
July 5, 2009 at 6:06 am |
I personally don’t want to see this movie fudged up. Make em right even if it takes a while. Airbender is the best series ever invented. I cannot wait for the movie. I wait very patiently. As uncle would say, “patience zuko.”
I congratulate this team for their efforts and eagerly wait the debut.
July 5, 2009 at 10:59 pm |
i cant wait till this movie comes out! this looks so good
July 6, 2009 at 12:29 pm |
The last airbender is one of the best, super funny (sokka), and well written cartoons i’ve seen in a long time.
Animaniacs being my favorite.
calling this Goofybender is stupid “George ‘El Guapo’ Roush”. I think “el Guapo” is goofy and should stay in the Three Amigos movie.
Watch the cartoon before you post on how bad this movie you think will be.
I can’t wait for this movie and I am 30 years old. I hope it’s done right and keeps the humor the cartoon does. Thats what made the cartoon so great!
July 6, 2009 at 8:22 pm |
I just hope it doesnt screw up the cartoon series. They were really good.
August 19, 2009 at 8:11 am |
6 years is a terrible goal…they should cut it down to 4 years.
Hell, there might not even be another movie, if the first one fails (which its doing without even being released yet)
September 22, 2009 at 8:38 am |
I just noticed something on M. Shalayman’s The Happening!!! At the end when the attack is over…. the little girl goes back to school. Look at the logo that is on the top of the back pack. When was filming done on that movie??? It was some sort of hint from yrs ago..