|
The LAF News Archives
Mike and Bryan Talk About Legend of Korra
Posted to Original Series News on July 22, 2010 6:47 AM by NightBender
 Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, talked to Wall Street Journal yesterday about their much anticipated new series set in the world of Avatar. Check it out: WSJ: The new “Avatar” is a woman. What inspired you to change the sex of the protagonist of the series?
Mike: It’s not so much about changing because we had Avatar Kyoshi before Aang. We’d established that the Avatar can be male or female and we just thought let’s explore one of those more in depth, because Kyoshi was a popular character with a lot of fans and it seemed like a great opportunity to not retread what we’d done with Aang, who was a great hero, we all loved him, but we really wanted to try something different. And we have so many great female fans out there, who really responded to Katara in the first series, we thought we have the fan base who are really going to enjoy seeing the Avatar be a female.
Bryan: Mike and I, we love those characters too, and we’ve encountered countless fans who are male who really like those characters too. We just don’t subscribe to the conventional wisdom that you can’t have an action series led by a female character. It’s kinda nonsense to us.
WSJ: The one image that you released is Korra looking out on Republic City, where a lot of the new show take place. Tell me about that city.
Bryan: That’s kind of a piece of concept art so when the show premieres next year it won’t look exactly like that but that’s the direction we’re headed. The first series was sort of a road show where every episode they were going to some new location. That was another new thing we wanted to do is root it in one big complex location but mainly one place. We were drawing inspiration from Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s and Hong Kong and even Western cities like Manhattan and even location-wise cities like Vancouver, a city that juts out on a peninsula or an island and has these big mountains around it.
WSJ: Will we see characters from the previous series pop up?
Mike: I don’t want to give anything away, but rest assured there’s a definite link between the old series and this one. You can check out the rest of the interview over at WSJ.com. 1432 Comments
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 06:22 am July 23, 2010
Comment by: yo0p
@ 06:46 am July 23, 2010
@chocolate
well that's slightly if not completely rude to say. Just because whoever said that is clearly a more devoted and all around better fan than you is no reason to make such mean comments to which you have no proof to back up what you say aside from pure assumption. :)
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 06:58 am July 23, 2010
I wonder If the "energy bending" got back as a tradition, you know, if it became something other people can learn, like in the time befor the avatar.
Comment by: Someone
@ 07:04 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
I thought only the Avatar was the only one able to energybend?
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 07:07 am July 23, 2010
@Someone
no not only the avatar. remember what the lion turtle told aang he said in the era before the avatar people bended the energy within themselves something like that
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 07:15 am July 23, 2010
Yes, the LionTurte just told aang how to do it, but anyone can, thats what was done before they could bend elements.
Comment by: Moe_joe95
@ 07:18 am July 23, 2010
I thought the lion turtle was cool 
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 07:20 am July 23, 2010
It Was 
Comment by: forgot
@ 07:21 am July 23, 2010
Imagine The Lion Turtle in CGI, in a movie (not by M Night). That would be awsome!!
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 07:31 am July 23, 2010
@forgot
well i thought that he did the animals really good like appa, momo, and that thing the firenation was riding on. i actually think he directed it good but it was the writing that messed it up and the sloppy editing with the final cut.
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 07:33 am July 23, 2010
@Joni
Despite Mike Bryan distancing themselves from the film, they do share some responsibility on the overall production as executive producers. I mean, J.K.Rowlings was not on the producers team for the Harry Potter film series. Stephanie Meyer is only the producer for the fourth Twilight film.
But you know the saying, "Success has many fathers, a failure an orphan". If they insist on M.Night taking the heat by himself then M.Night should do the rest of the film without flowing the animated series storyline too closely. If the box office returns is good enough, break-up season 3 to into two films, Book 3 : Fire, where he learns firebending from Zuko and firebending masters, and Book 4 : Air, where he faces Ozai (The Sozin's Comet storyline).
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 07:36 am July 23, 2010
@Hasdi
if it does get broken up book 4 air is not a good name because it would not have anything to do with air and he already mastered it. i think a good name would be the last airbender sozin's comet because thats when the comet will come
Comment by: Gurdwaras
@ 07:37 am July 23, 2010
I saw inception last night, damn that was a good movie. Written produced and directed by Christopher Nolan just like shyamalan with airbender. The difference? Christopher Nolan actually pays attention to what's going on with his movie. Night just let's it turn to crap.
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 07:44 am July 23, 2010
Yeah, the effects in the movie were cool
Comment by: xexo
@ 07:48 am July 23, 2010
no me entusiasma para nada esta nueva trama, que paso con la madre de suko,?, pense que el libro aire, la cuarta temporada mostraria eso, que fome, se van a aliminar todos los personas de la saga anterior, que mal
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 07:50 am July 23, 2010
Nunca existio un libro aire, eso no iba a apasar, Aang ya sabia aire control, deberias saber qno la planearon. Esta serie si va a taner vinculo pero no va a ser con los mismos, eso ya termino y el final fue muuuy bueno.
Comment by: Someone
@ 08:00 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
ok so i understand now.....in the past long before the avatar there was no such thing as bending the elements...but there were people who could use this power (energybending) am i wrong?
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 08:03 am July 23, 2010
@Someone yes, the Lion turtle says that in the time before the avatar, they didnt bend the elements, they bend the energy inside.
Comment by: ZigZag
@ 08:05 am July 23, 2010
Hmm i wonder if aang could have kids that are earth or firebenders, not just air from him or water from katara
Comment by: :: Lion Turtle ::
@ 08:21 am July 23, 2010
im gone a few weeks and someone has re-used my name! a little hurt  ...i love how Konietzko completely killed the 'Last Airbender question'.....should hopefully put a few people in their place who said the film was good..
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 08:27 am July 23, 2010
@ :: Lion Turtle :: im sorry, im new in here 
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 08:33 am July 23, 2010
@robinclank2
After learning the other 3 elements, Avatar Roku return to his home Fire nation, and began his life and role as the Avatar. Similarly in "Book 4 : Air", Aang will return to the mountains to set his base of operations, and do the final showdown. The final battles in Sozin's Comet are mostly aerial-based anyway, with the aerial fleet carpet-bombing the Earth Kingdom.
Hmm... it could use a filler episode or an original side plot. I am thinking Momo leading a lost air temple where the surviving airbenders hiding for the last 100 years (similar story concept with Shangri-La) - truly "cutting themselves off" from the world. After arguments between Aang and the Airbender leader, we have flying bisons giving Earth / Water warriors giving aerial-assist, clashing with the Fire Nation's airships. Think of the battles between Clone Troopers and the Ewoks, or rather, Droids and the WOokies. That's more believable than Sokka, Suki, and Toph taking down the Fire Nation fleet all by themselves. In the middle of the battle, Ozai engages Aang... and you know the rest of the story....
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 08:38 am July 23, 2010
You want flying bisons in the last movie?? Well, that kind ok "little changes" is what makes movie adaptations suck, stick to story.
Comment by: :: Lion Turtle ::
@ 08:41 am July 23, 2010
That's cool LIONTURTLE...wasnt an attack!.....just a nice choice of name
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 08:50 am July 23, 2010
Show's Lion turtle rocks! 
Comment by: Someone
@ 08:52 am July 23, 2010
Were komodo rhinos even in the series
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 09:11 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
If the original series is perfect, by definition, no adapation will be as good, no matter closely it follows it. Fans will either love it or hate it. Look how many adaptions of Batman series and films are out theres, or the classic story of Robin Hood. Mike and Bryan already disowned M.Night and leaving him out to dry. I say, take the Tenchi Muyo or El-Hazard approach - keep the story elements the same but change the rest to make it interesting.
Flying bisonsss..... W00000000000000000TTT
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 09:18 am July 23, 2010
Of course, you want to disconect the series from the movie is good, but the premise of the movies is that Aang IS the last airbender, no other from his kind or bisons, mazybe some people helping The gaang to take down fire nation ships, but flying bisons is to take out the premise of the film and cartoon
Comment by: logo
@ 09:35 am July 23, 2010
@Someone
Yeah, I'm pretty sure they were in the series...somewhere...
Comment by: citris
@ 09:37 am July 23, 2010
OHHH okay I have a question it's for anybody that can answer it!! Can a person only lighting bend if thier a master firebender or do they just have to be really good like Azula or something? 
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 09:47 am July 23, 2010
In the animated series season 2, you just need "inner calm". Zuko couldn't use due to his "inner turmoil"... couldn't let go of his shame. Azula can generate it because she is a cold-blooded sociopath. However, the canon explanation contradicts with the events in season 3, where Azula could generate lightning while mentally deranged, while Zuko still couldn't do it after coming to terms with his inner conflict.
In the film, the changes to firebending mean LIGHTNING is no longer necessary to put Zuko at disadvantage over Azula (the key reason why it was introduced in season 2). Instead, Azula can do chi-fire while Zuko cannot only generate heat - still has to rely on firebending sources. LIGHTNING REDIRECTION is replaced with fire deflection (or absorption) as seen when Iroh protected Zuko from Zhao's attack from behind.
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 09:59 am July 23, 2010
but thes still have to be firebenders
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 09:59 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
How about the Last Action Hero? The Last Samurai? The world thinks that Aang is the last airbender when he may be not. In many cases of genocide, very rarely the entire race is wiped off complete. The survivors typically run away and hide from the world, or integrate in other parts of society (i.e. hiding in plain sight). Plus, I have a hard time picturing Aang banging a harem of women after the war even though it might...just... work....
Ok, we could use a filler episode Northern Air Temple from season 1 in Book 4, since M.Night already decided to put Kyoshi Warriors from season 1 in Book 2. No Airbenders but neo-members of the Air Nation who seems to have forgotten some of the old customs but still want to disconnect themselves from the world. Oh, they have been taking care of flying bisons and lemurs. And Momo is of the lemur that left the lost temple to find Aang in Book 1... Yes, I know the Mike and Bryan said all Air Nomads are airbenders but for live-action we can take a different route. Come on, work with me here... :-)
Still, I can airbenders creating tornado to suck some earth into the sky so the earthbenders riding on the bison can use it against the aerial fleet. The waterbenders can use the water from the clouds....
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 10:05 am July 23, 2010
no no no, of course is logic that there is still airbenders, hidden or something, theyre monks and scape form unesesaru conflict. Thats the logic route, what Im trying to say is, youre changing the cartoon´s story, of course Mike and bryan could left some air nomads hidden, but they didnt, again, thats the premise, hes the last, no more left. And although it wolud be cool see bisons fighting, it changes it all
Comment by: Someone
@ 10:16 am July 23, 2010
Hey, at least we get to see flashbacks of how the airnomads lived right?
Comment by: Frsh
@ 10:24 am July 23, 2010
Hey I really need to know this will the legend of korra be on nicklelodeon or nicktoons network because I don't have nicktoons network. i hope they keep on nick.
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 10:28 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
We already have fans swearing that live-action is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than the animated series. Personally, I think the movie followed the arc-story quite well and just included a few filler episodes and some side-plots. I suppose some people assign more weight to certain characteristics than others. Showing surviving airbenders in the fourth movie would still make the premise valid - in that world, everyone thought Aang is the last airbender for 3-4 years. Arc-story has not changed, Aang need to master water, earth, and fire, kick Ozai's ass and bring balance back to the world. And make lots of Air babies.
@Someone
Ok. Flashback of Air Nomads is might work too. That way, each book would focus on the story of the four nations. Book 1 on the Water Tribe, Book 2 on the Earth Kingdom, Book 3 on the Fire Nation, and Book 4 on the AIr Nomads (flashbacks how they lived and how Aang would proceed to have it rebuilt).
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 10:32 am July 23, 2010
Ok ok, but still, I would like to see the original story in big screen
Comment by: Hasdi
@ 10:55 am July 23, 2010
@LIONTURTLE
Looks like details of Book 4 is still up the air (bad pun intended :).
"Book 2 : Earth" will likely be similar to "Empire Strikes Back" where Azula conquers Ba Sing Se and Suki gets captured. Zuko hesistantly joins Azula.
"Book 3 : Fire", similar to "Return of the Jedi". Opens with Zuko saving Team Avatar from failed capture of Ozai during the Day of the Black Sun. Zuko help Sokka jailbreak Suki from Boiling Rock (like Luke/Leia jailbreaking Han Solo from Jabba). Zuko trains Aang on firebending, but could not teach him chi-fire. Quest to find to lost city of Sun Warriors and learn the firebending masters. Parallel story to this in a form a flashback, the details events that lead to Zuko's decision to betray his father and help Team Avatar. This includes the climatic battle which ultimately fails to capture Ozai. At the end of the flashback, Zuko overcame his inner turmoil and finally able to generate chi-fire, as well as Aang. Momo leads Aang and Team Avatar to an air temple to set up his base operations and come up with new plan to stop Ozai before Sozin's Comet. Cue to Book 4.
Comment by: Someone
@ 11:19 am July 23, 2010
Did they mention anything about korra today at comic con?
Comment by: bugsbane
@ 11:28 am July 23, 2010
Has anyone thought about how M Night feels about Korra? Did he not ask Bryke if ATLA was in fact ENDING ? Was that ending of ATLA so important to M Night because he would feel that he'd have to need to be true to canon (i.e. it ended - so M Night was just continuing it)
Blag. this is a depressing line of thought. But I am willing to bet that M Night isn't such a fan of Korra at this point.
Comment by: ZigZag
@ 11:38 am July 23, 2010
@ Hasdi
you're crazy. what's with all this book 4 stuff? If youre talking about the live action movie, M. Night shouldnt freak up the series any more than he already did, he should just quit and keep what little dignity he's got
Comment by: ZigZag
@ 11:40 am July 23, 2010
and if youre talking about the show than why would it need a book 4? it ended very well and now there's an entirely separate sequel
Comment by: : Lion Turtle :
@ 11:45 am July 23, 2010
Mike and bryan say they would love to do feature animation. maybe they can have three season of Korra and then a movie. They could also decide to do make a animated movie of airbender after the end. that way, instead of having fourth seasons, we get a movie continueing on the story.
Comment by: jrmbatman
@ 11:52 am July 23, 2010
hi everyone!
remember one thing... the timeline of the series is not the same as the real world... Kioshi lived 230 years!!! So, is very possible to see our beloved characters again, except Aang. we still don't know anything about the new show, only that there's a new show on the way.
the new 'problems' of the show: the anti bender thing and crime, looks great, I mean, War is not the ultimate problem in the world... seeing a culture, a society or a nation falling apart to crime and non sense [ like todays world] would be a nice headache to our new hero.
technology... Fire nation share their prosperity with the rest of world!!!
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 11:54 am July 23, 2010
@ Zig Zag
exactly, thats what im taliking about, the movie messed up some stuff of the series, why complicate it more? we al love the series history and thats why we were so exited to see it Live Action!
Comment by: bugsbane
@ 12:03 pm July 23, 2010
Perhaps Korra will never learn to Airbend since Aang was the LAST AIRBENDER - and she'll instead learn to use space-time jutsu bending, go back to before the airbenders were wiped out, then bring a few back with her to the present. bwahahaha.. Mmmm cactus juice.
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 12:07 pm July 23, 2010
Yes!! but then she will meet aang, and he will fall in love with her, and she will never be born!!.. I have hear this before hmmmm
Comment by: Ug.
@ 12:12 pm July 23, 2010
The fact that The Last Airbender didn't even live up to half what it could have been is highly depressing to me. I'm not mad at Shyamalan... I'm just sad. Very very sad.
Comment by: Someone
@ 12:14 pm July 23, 2010
@jrmbatman
Your late because wall street journal asked the creators and they said this series has connections with the characters from the other
Comment by: jenny
@ 12:15 pm July 23, 2010
aangs son is an airbender bc he tutors korra in airbending... i think
Comment by: appa
@ 12:16 pm July 23, 2010
That has been confirmed
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 12:17 pm July 23, 2010
@ bugsbane
this aint naruto.
Comment by: Yana
@ 12:20 pm July 23, 2010
So I have a question how come azula could bend lightning in the finale if u need inner peace hmm mm mmm???
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 12:27 pm July 23, 2010
Maybe the same way, Zuko could firebend without the knowledge of the Masters (dragons), more from anger or something
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 12:33 pm July 23, 2010
Comment by: Yana
@ 12:35 pm July 23, 2010
I dont really get it sorry so did she always make lightning from anger or did she just change it suddenly and if she did just change it how did she learn how to so fast
Comment by: Someone
@ 12:35 pm July 23, 2010
@robinclank2
I saw that video before!!
Comment by: LIONTURTLE
@ 12:41 pm July 23, 2010
No, what I mean is, she had iiner peace, but in the finale she is crazy, so she dont have inner peace before, but zuko needed to understand how to make fire with the dragons, but that wasnt until the 3 season, and he could firebend before because of his wish to capture aang. Maybe azula lost inner peace but became really angry with zuko and her mother, so she could create lighting Thats confusing
Comment by: robinclank2
@ 12:44 pm July 23, 2010
@Someone
yeah i think someone made one before. but i made this one
|
|
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Subscribe to our Channel
Follow our Twitter Feed
Join our Facebook
 
|
