Paramount Pictures and
Nickelodeon Movies have greenlit the live-action epic adventure M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN'S THE LAST AIRBENDER, which will launch over the Independence Day weekend in 2010, opening on Friday, July 2, 2010.
Shyamalan, the creator of the Oscar-nominated THE SIXTH SENSE, SIGNS and the upcoming THE HAPPENING, will direct and produce the epic action-adventure based on a script that he penned.
Joining him as producers are Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who produced the blockbuster INDIANA JONES and JURASSIC PARK film franchises, Sam Mercer (THE SIXTH SENSE, THE HAPPENING) and Scott Aversano (FAILURE TO LAUNCH, THE SCHOOL OF ROCK).
Michael DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko, the creators of the popular TV series, AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, that inspired the film, will serve as executive producers.
Shyamalan said, "I've always been a huge fan of Miyazaki's work. He is one of the greatest storytellers in the world. His combination of spirituality and super natural elements have brought depth and meaning to his art form."
Based on the successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire.
The Fire Nation is waging a ruthless, oppressive war against the other three nations. The film's hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the "Last Airbender;" the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together. Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.
M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN'S THE LAST AIRBENDER will combine the imagination and visual canvas of the LORD OF THE RINGS saga with the action and spectacle of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.
