Avatar: The Last Airbender Co-Creator Gushes Over Franchise's Return

A new era is about to dawn on the Avatar franchise, and no - we aren't talking about the one launched by James Cameron. It was made official that Nickelodeon is expanding the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The news was confirmed during a ViacomCBS presentation for investors, and fans were immediately intrigued by the idea of an Avatar Expanded Universe. And now, one of the franchise's creators is gushing over the idea with fans.

Taking to Facebook, Michael Dante DiMartino shared his support for the projects after the news went live. The creator confirmed he will be a co-chief creative officer with Bryan Konietzko, the other creator behind Avatar. The two are working with Nickelodeon to make the Avatar-verse, and DiMartino is understandably hyped for the project.

"It's hard to believe it's been 19 years since we created Avatar: The Last Airbender. But even after all that time, there are still many stories and time periods in Aang's world that we are eager to bring to life. We are fortunate to have an ever-growing community of passionate fans that enjoys exploring the Avatarverse as much as we do. And with this new Avatar Studios venture we have an unparalleled opportunity to develop our franchise and its storytelling on a vast scale, in myriad exciting ways and mediums," the creator shared with fans.

"We are exceedingly grateful to Brian Robbins and Ramsey Naito for their enthusiasm and respect for the Avatar property and us as its stewards. From the start, they've supported our ambitious plans and created a positive, proactive environment for us. We're excited to be back at Nickelodeon where Avatar began, doing what we do best in the biggest way possible. We can't wait to build the great teams and productions to make all of this fantasy a reality."

According to initial reports, the first project to be handled by Avatar Studios will be a movie. The film has kept details close to the chest so far, but fans are ecstatic to return to the franchise with its original creators on board. And if Aang happens to make a comeback along the way, well - that is all the better!

How do you feel about this franchise comeback? Which other Avatar stories would you like to see hit the screen? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.