Avatar: The Last Airbender's world is about to get bigger, because Paramount just gave a massive update about the first of three standalone animated Avatar films that are in development. Leading these movies will be Aang: The Last Airbender which will feature Eric Nam as the grown-up avatar and Dave Bautista as the big bad. And let me tell you, when I found out the Marvel veteran would be voicing the next villain in this universe, I got so excited!
Coming straight out of the Paramount panel at CinemaCon (via Variety) the thrilling cast for the first ATLA project in the works was announced, notably including Dave Bautista as the big guy. Considering his history of iconic, menacing and funny roles, I think he's quite literally the perfect fit for this part.
If you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, you know Dave Bautista can bring both levity and violence to a moment. Drax was such a funny character, however, I was also deeply scared of him at times. I’d love to see the actor bring that energy to the Avatar universe. I can picture his legendary laugh and intense tone in this animated film now, and I think it will be epic.
It’s also worth noting that this will be another major feather in Dave Bautista’s cap when it comes to voice acting. In 2023, he played The Parakeet King in Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron’s English version, and he killed it. Plus, when you think about the range of his work from Dune to Knock at the Cabin to Glass Onion, it becomes clear that he’ll bring something new and unexpected to this part. Truly, I have no doubt that this wrestler-turned-actor is the perfect choice for Avatar’s next big bad.
Other than Bautista voicing the antagonist, we don't know much about his character. However, considering Mark Hamill's terrifying take on Fire Lord Ozai and the incredibly unique villains we got in Legend of Korra, I assume the Guardians of the Galaxy star's character and performance will be big, bad and memorable just like the ones that came before him.
Along with the Glass Onion star, Eric Nam will voice Aang, and Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten and Román Zaragoza are set to star in the project. Adding to that excitement, the animated series’ creators, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are set to produce, and Lauren Montgomery, who worked on Nickelodeon’s ATLA, will direct the film alongside William Mata.
Obviously, plot details are non-existent at the moment, but we do have a release date: October 10, 2025, and we know the film will get a theatrical release. So, mark your calendars, because this movie, and especially Dave Bautista's performance as the villain, will not be something you want to miss.
Even though the wait for this upcoming Avatar movie seems long, have no fear. You can fill the time between now and October 2025 by streaming the OG animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, its Netflix live-action adaptation that premiered on the 2024 TV schedule and The Legend of Korra with a Netflix subscription.
