The 2026 movie scheduleAlready has some amazing launches planned, but I must say, the latestAvatar: The Last Airbender movie has me most excited. As a long-time fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I've always been the sort of girl who's got everything sorted.
I’ve been loving the ATLA universeand everything that entails.binged the entire live-action ATLA showAvailable on Netflix and I rather liked it – still waiting on tenterhooks for what's next.waiting for ATLA Season 2, whenever that comes. Heck, I even have an Appa plushie – I’m hardcore.
So, naturally, what with the upcoming release of the film entitled...The saga of Aang, the final Airbender.I'm really looking forward to it. However, some recent casting announcements – specifically about who will be voicing Zuko – have got my back up, and I need to explain why it feels off.
I'm not complaining about certain films boasting A-list actors.
In case you missed it, Steven Yeun is set to voice Zuko in the new film. Before I say anything else, I want to state that...no problem It's a common occurrence that the voice cast gets switched up when a TV series is turned into a film. I've noticed it happening repeatedly. Occasionally, it works out brilliantly, but sometimes it's... less successful. I'm still not completely sold on...Chris Pratt in the Mario cast. Regardless, this isn't exactly a recent development.
And Steven Yeun is right up there with my favourite actors. I've been a massive admirer of his for ages.Steven Yeun’s best films, and I've keenly followed his career's impressive trajectory for the last fifteen years, starting with Yeun's early days inThe Walking Dead ...up to the present day. And naturally, he's well-known to many from...Invincible, A brilliant superhero series available on Amazon. where he does an excellent job voicing the main character. On any other movie, I’d be excited for this. But there’s one thing I’m not happy about.
The Original Voice-Actor For Zuko Is Still Very Much A Part Of The Franchise
A while back, I wrote about why I believe that Zuko has one of the best character arcs in all of television, and I stand by that to this day. And while his story plays a vital role in that, his voice acting from Dante Busco is just as major.
The voice actor has been a massive fan of this franchise for years. In fact, I would honestly say, besides the creators of the series, he’s the face of it, where he’s had talks about it, hosted podcasts, and gone to fan conventions. And the fact that he wasn’t the most obvious pick for this after the years he has dedicated to this series boggles me.
I’ve seen some people say that the kids are adults in this film, so that’s why the voices changed. But so is Dante Busco. The voice actor is well into his adult years. You don’t think he could voice an older Zuko?
Again, normally, this wouldn’t upset me as much, but the fact that he clearly loves this series, and he’s not going to play this character that people love – and love him voicing – irks my ATLA-loving heart.
I Wish That The Original Cast At Least Had Some Involvement With The Film
I know that not every single voice actor from the show can be a part of the new film. I’m not blind to the complexities of the modern-day box office and the need for big names to draw in people. But this feels like it’s slowly morphing into something ATLA fans don’t want.
I really want it to be good, but it’s going to be hard to imagine that without the involvement from the voice actors that brought these characters to life in animated series. And now, with Dante Busco not voicing Zuko…it’ll be even harder for me.
Either way, I’m still going to end up seeing the film – I’m still an ATLA girly. But I’ll just be saying my own ‘that’s rough, buddy’ the moment I sit in the theater.
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