Netflix has released a statement regarding DiMartino’s letter. The streamer told IGN, “We have complete respect and admiration for Michael and Bryan and the story that they created in the Avatar animated series. Although they have chosen to depart the live action project, we are confident in the creative team and their adaptation.”

IGN has also confirmed executive producer Dan Lin and his production company Rideback remain attached to the series, as is Nickelodeon.

The original story is below:

Bad news for Avatar: The Last Airbender fans. Original series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer involved with Netflix’s live-action adaptation.

DiMartino posted an open letter on his personal website, saying he and Konietzko have left Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender remake due to creative differences. The duo officially cut ties with the project in June 2020.

DiMartino writes, “When Bryan and I signed on to the project in 2018, we were hired as executive producers and showrunners. In a joint announcement for the series, Netflix said that it was committed to honoring our vision for this retelling and to supporting us on creating the series. And we expressed how excited we were for the opportunity to be at the helm. Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped.”

“And who knows?” DiMartino continues. “Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be good. It might turn out to be a show many of you end up enjoying. But what I can be certain about is that whatever version ends up on-screen, it will not be what Bryan and I had envisioned or intended to make.”

This is certainly a worrying sign for a project many fans were looking forward to with great interest. It was hoped the involvement of DiMartino and Konietzko would result in a much more successful and faithful adaptation than the widely reviled 2010 live-action movie. While DiMartino doesn’t go into specifics about the behind-the-scenes conflicts on the series, it would seem Netflix has a very different idea of what the series should be.

Netflix’s live-action Avatar series was announced in September 2018, along with a piece of concept art featuring main hero Aang and his faithful companion Appa. At the time production was expected to begin in 2019, though that window seems to have passed. It’s unclear exactly how much progress has been made on the series or how close Netflix might be to casting the lead roles and beginning production.

The silver lining is that DiMartino isn’t necessarily cutting ties with the franchise as a whole. He writes, “I also want to be clear that this doesn’t mean the end of my involvement in the Avatar universe. These stories and characters are important to me and the renewed interest and excitement in Avatar and Korra has been inspiring to see.”

The original animated series ended its run in 2008, and we think it has one of the best series finales of all time. That series is currently available to stream on Netflix, and followup series The Legend of Korra will be available beginning August 14.