Team Avatar is coming back in 2025 with a new animated Avatar: The Last Airbender movie, reuniting fans with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph 17 years after the series ended its run on Nickelodeon. It seems the voices behind Team Avatar may not be along for the ride, however. During MomoCon over the weekend, Michaela Jae Murphy, aka Jessie Flower, who voiced the blind Earthbender Toph in the original show, told attendees that she was under the impression that most if not all the original cast would not be returning for the film.
Flower was still eager to return to the franchise if given the chance, but with the film following a new era for Team Avatar, it wasn't in the cards. "If you're an actor, you're always interested in being called back for a project," she said, expecting backlash with the news of the cast overhaul. "I think they're going to be recasting for pretty much everything... It's not like people are going to clamor and be like, 'Bring back the originals!'" Flower was one part of a stacked voice cast including Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack De Sena, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Mako, and Grey DeLisle among many more.
Although Avatar Studios' new film will follow the Gaang once again, it'll shine a light on their early adult years as they work to restore the world following the destruction wrought in the war with the Fire Nation. It's an era that's never really explored in-depth on screen, taking place between the events of The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra, but still plays an important role in how the world of Avatar developed following the original series. In that stretch of time, Aang re-established the Air Nomads and created Republic City, paving the way for the more advanced world seen in Korra.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Creators Are Sticking Close to Their Vision With the Film
Flower went on to note how unshakable creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino have been when it comes to their vision for the series going forward. Since The Last Airbender aired, the pair have been firm in their direction for the series even if it didn't fit what fans desired. That included giving the series the ending they desired rather than the continuation fans hoped for. "[The show] was three seasons and then people were like 'Make a fourth, make a fourth!' and they were like 'No.'," Flower referenced when discussing the cast. While that means nothing will change where they stand on bringing back cast members, she's also ready to be a fan and dig into whatever they have to offer in the next chapter. "They have a vision, and they execute it the way they want to. I'm sad because I would come love to come back and do stuff, but you know I'll be cheering from the audience with everyone else!"
The new The Last Airbender animated movie will be directed by Lauren Montgomery with Konietzko and DiMartino producing with Eric Coleman. Rumors have swirled over the past year surrounding how Konietzko and DiMartino plan to expand the franchise as two more animated films are on the way with Zuko and Avatar Kyoshi speculated to be the focus. In addition, Netflix is also bringing the elements together for a live-action series though both Konietzko and DiMartino are no longer involved due to clashes with the streamer.
The new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie is due out on October 10, 2025. In the meantime, check out a video of Konietzko setting up the future of the franchise below.