Eric Nam Cast In Leading Role For The New “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Movie

While Netflix‘s Avatar: The Last Airbender, an adaptation of the beloved animated series, has been making headlines lately, a new project is in the works. 

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” poster

Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios are working on a new animated film with the working title Aang: The Last Airbender. The casting news was revealed during Paramount’s slate presentation at CinemaCon.

Aang | Nickelodeon

Previously, in June 2022, the studios announced that three standalone Avatar animated films were in development. Aang: The Last Airbender will be the first, set to release in 2025. It will be directed by William Mata and Lauren Montgomery, who previously worked on the original animated series. Original creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko will serve as executive producers alongside Eric Coleman.

Retired professional wrestler and Marvel actor Dave Bautista and Korean American music artist and entrepreneur Eric Nam have been cast to lead the ensemble of Aang: The Last Airbender. They are joined by Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Roman Zaragoza.

Dave Bautista as Drax | Marvel Studios Eric Nam | AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

While Dave Bautista, known best for playing Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, will reportedly voice the villain, Eric Nam will give voice to the adult version of the titular character Aang. Child actor Zach Tyler Eisen is known as the original voice of Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but DB Sweeney portrayed the older version in the sequel The Legend of Korra. In Netflix’s live-action series, Gordon Cormier currently plays Aang. 

Adult Aang (center) | Nickelodeon

Eric Nam himself responded to the casting news by replying to a post on X (formerly Twitter). He commented the eyes and heart-hand emojis, subtly confirming the news.

— Eric Nam (에릭남) (@ericnamofficial) April 11, 2024

A plot for Aang: The Last Airbender has yet to be officially revealed. However, it will reportedly be released from Paramount on October 10, 2025.