M. Night Shyamalan to do live-action "Avatar" film !!

[Anonymous]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117956950.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2564

Spoiler: tl;dr

M. Night Shyamalan and Paramount are planning their own "Avatar" project, based on the popular Nickelodeon kids TV series.

The filmmaker has inked a three-picture deal with Par's MTV Films and Nick Movies to adapt animated kiddie skein "Avatar: The Last Airbender" for the bigscreen. He will write, direct and produce the potential kids franchise.

Film version will be live-action.

Nick TV's "Avatar," which is set in an Asian-influenced fantasy world permeated by martial arts and magic, follows the adventures of the successor to a long line of Avatars who must put aside his irresponsible ways and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.

Created by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, "Avatar" debuted on the Nicktoons lineup in February 2005. Aimed at 6- to 11-year-olds, show has nabbed strong ratings, including outside its intended demo. It is among the top 10 animated series on all of TV among kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14.

Paramount confirmed the pact with Shyamalan just hours after Fox Filmed Entertainment announced it is greenlighting James Cameron's "Avatar," the director's first feature since "Titanic."

Although they may have the same name, the two projects have nothing to do with each other in terms of storylines. Cameron's is a sci-fi action-adventure that he's been working on for 11 years.

Par said it has registered the name of its project with the Motion Picture Assn. of America.

A Fox rep said, "We own the movie title 'Avatar.' There won't be another film called 'Avatar' coming from anyplace."

MTV Films and Nick Movies prexy Scott Aversano, who reports to Paramount prexy Gail Berman, was instrumental in striking the pact with Shyamalan.

“Avatarâ€Â

 

[macchia]

MTV films, Nickelodeon, a live action film based on an anime-style cartoon made in america headed by former hit current hack Schyamalan. Odd combo. It could work, as long as he doesnt write himself into the movie(too much to ask?).
But yeah, Cameron should get the name cus his film is going to be incredible but this...meh. This should just be called The Last Airbender.

 

[Anonymous]

i see firebenders walking around like waterbenders

i just want them to go away

also i don't see the Shyamalan Avatar film thing planning thing on imdb.org at all (though i see Cameron's and it's apparently been there for awhile) so i am genuinely curious about what they are going to do regarding the title.

 

[kip]

I think it's fake ouviously

 

[FlippyD]

If it's real I'm excited. I enjoy the show and Shyamalan!

The interesting thing will be to see wether Shyamalan falls for that "twist" ending stuff people keep expecting him to do.

 

[Tdata]

Avatar isn't too bad. Better than most of the Amer-imation like teen titans... I don't however see this working... MS isn't a bad director... But i can't see his style working on Avatar...

 

[Elijah von Bose]

Avatar and Americanized-Anime = terrible.

M Night Shyamalan = great.

Let's see how this turns out.

 

[FlippyD]

Avatar and Americanized-Anime = terrible.

M Night Shyamalan = great.

Let's see how this turns out.

There's no such thing as "Americanized-Anime." Theres cartoons drawn in America with an Asian style.

Anyway, I think it'll work if Shyamalan and the screenwriters take the Avatar liscense and make something new. I doubt this will be another "Nickelodeon Movies" spiel.

 

[clive owen's secret identity]

It would rock if MS played all the roles.

 

[Wings]

After seeing a few members obsession with Avatar (mainly Tana), I went ahead and spent a good amount of time on Youtube watching little video clips of scattered episodes just to see what the fuss was all about. Now...I think I'm addicted.

In regards to M. Night Shyamalan directing his own version of the series...I really hope it is a joke. I have never despised a director's vision more than I despise his. All of his films, not to include the Sixth Sense (and even that was borderline), were complete shit . He is a horrible actor and needs to find his way out of the films he directs because it lowers the quality of the picture that.much.more. No wonder why he already has a flop added to the small number of films he participated in.

Leave it to Hollywood to take ANYTHING popular and screw it up beyond repair. Don't be surprised to see some form of alien pop up every now and again if he makes this adaptation. That just seems to be his thing.

 

[Lene]

LOL exactly Wings. I may not be an avatar fan but I don't see Shyamalan not turning the movie into a disaster.

 

[Tana]

lol. Erk's more obsessed than I am now ;p He just doesn't draw fanart.

The concept of an Avatar movie scares me. (I've heard the video game is terrible) Even worse that Shyamalan is tied to it. I can't see anything good coming of it.

Most of the people over on LJavatar_fans and dA are pretty miffed about it too.

 

[Mac]

Thus reading your comments i checked out Avatar and now i'm hooked XD lol. Damn my literacy! Anyway from seeing what i saw i look forward to seeing some movie from it and i love Shyamalans work so..its all good! ^_^

 

[Marcus]

ol. Erk's more obsessed than I am now ;p He just doesn't draw fanart.

I think I'm more obsessed than both of you. And I draw fan art. Smellerbee fan art. How many people do you know honestly even care about that character?

Anyways, this sounds pretty terrible. Children's material has been successfully turned into good media like Arthur and the Invisibles and Chronicles of Narnia but this right here just sounds terrible. I could handle it if a director with actual asian film experience did it (like the guys who do Jet Li's crazy ass movies) but Shyamamomon only has experience in the horror/thriller field.

Yea, this is pretty lame but I bet you the original creators have no say in it. Once I get out the military I plan on going to school for animation directing and if I ever get my own show I will never pitch the idea to Nick.

Setting a deal up with Nick is the equivalent of selling your soul. You might have control of your body, but your life is gone.

Fuck you nick for what you did to Rocko, Angry Beavers, and Invader Zim. You guys suck.

 

[Tana]

I think I'm more obsessed than both of you. And I draw fan art. Smellerbee fan art. How many people do you know honestly even care about that character?

http://sylvacoer.deviantart.com/ ^__^ She's even got a Smellerbee x Longshot comic.

Setting a deal up with Nick is the equivalent of selling your soul. You might have control of your body, but your life is gone.

Fuck you nick for what you did to Rocko, Angry Beavers, and Invader Zim. You guys suck.

Considering Nick is part of MTV, they sold their soul years ago.


This whole thing reminds me when Disney wanted to make a live action movie from Gargoyles, but they weren't involving Greg Weisman(the creator and producer) in the movie, so ever single script idea that was pitched was horrid. Fortunately they finally gave up on the idea.

I have a feeling that Mike and Brian(Avatar's creators) would have minimal feedback on an Avatar movie. But I can hope that it too goes the way of the Gargoyles Live Action.

 

[Erk]

Tana, you are still more avatarded than me. How many times have you seen the series?

Marcus, Tana draws Song/Meng fanart. I think she's got you beaten, Smellerbee has far more episodes than they do, and as an associate of Jet has a pretty good fan following.

Anyway, I don't see this being any good. Why live action? Nothing about Avatar makes me want to see it in live action. The cartoon is why it is fun. Now, an avatar CG movie, that I could see enjoying. But why make a movie at all? The only reason I could think of would be to extend the adventures of the gAang past the end of the show. And... Shyamalan directing what is essentially a fantasy kung fu story? Ye gods.

 

[FlippyD]

I'm gonna take the exact opposite opinion on this, because that's what I do (popular opinion can suck-it! >:P)

I don't see what would be so bad about Shyamalan directing an Avatar film. Let's go down the list of reasons why it won't work (provided by people in this thread) and I'll try my best to come up with a counter-point...

It could work, as long as he doesnt write himself into the movie(too much to ask?).

Just because he wrote himself into "Lady in the Water" doesn't mean he'd write himself into Avatar. When he makes cameo's normally it's in an Alfred Hitchcock kind of way. "Lady in the Water" was a reactionary screenplay anyway, an "Avatar" screenplay wouldn't be a good story for Shyamalan to use as a soap box anyway.

In regards to M. Night Shyamalan directing his own version of the series...I really hope it is a joke. I have never despised a director's vision more than I despise his. All of his films, not to include the Sixth Sense (and even that was borderline), were complete shit . He is a horrible actor and needs to find his way out of the films he directs because it lowers the quality of the picture that.much.more. No wonder why he already has a flop added to the small number of films he participated in.

Leave it to Hollywood to take ANYTHING popular and screw it up beyond repair. Don't be surprised to see some form of alien pop up every now and again if he makes this adaptation. That just seems to be his thing.

Hmm... I doubt it. This is Shyamalan's first attempt at working on something that already has a track-record and a fanbase. And seeing the way his flims have progressed (or degressed) since the Sixth-Sense, I think we have more than enough proof that Shyamalan will surprise us. Between "The Village" and "Lady in the Water" he's broken down the idea that whatever film he makes will wind up with some insane plot-twist.

I think you're basing you opinion on his latest film anyway and not looking beyond your own fandom of Avatar.

LOL exactly Wings. I may not be an avatar fan but I don't see Shyamalan not turning the movie into a disaster.

So long as it's not Uwe Boll, we have nothing to worry about.

Most of the people over on LJavatar_fans and dA are pretty miffed about it too.

I hear Transformers fans are pissed about that movie too. That's what fines do, bitch about what they like and how much it might suck.

Why the hell is the guy who made 'The Sixth Sense' and 'Lady in the Water' doing a live-action version of a children's (you can debate this all you want but it is still a kid's show) anime?

edit : By the way, there will be a 'HUGE TWIST' and it will be predictable halfway through the movie.

If that's true, I hope I never go to a theatre with you. Did you really guess the ending of Sixth Sense?... REALLY? If so, uh... Can you tell me how the last Harry Potter book will end? >_>

PM me if you want...

Fuck you nick for what you did to Rocko, Angry Beavers, and Invader Zim. You guys suck.

Considering Nick is part of MTV, they sold their soul years ago.


This whole thing reminds me when Disney wanted to make a live action movie from Gargoyles, but they weren't involving Greg Weisman(the creator and producer) in the movie, so ever single script idea that was pitched was horrid. Fortunately they finally gave up on the idea.

I have a feeling that Mike and Brian(Avatar's creators) would have minimal feedback on an Avatar movie. But I can hope that it too goes the way of the Gargoyles Live Action.

But considering the fact that MTV Networks actually gave the go ahead to shows like that. Seriously, when I heard Nick gave Jhonen a cartoon deal I thought they lost it (cause I actually read comics and knew who he was before that show... Not that I'm better than anyone, but... Most Jhonen fans hopped on the GiR Doom-Song bandwagon first if you know what I mean.)

Yes, they cancel all the good shows, but at least we got to see them, right? Think about Clone High, ZiM, Pete and Pete, Ren and Stimpy, etc etc etc, and to infinity.

quote=Erk]Anyway, I don't see this being any good. Why live action? Nothing about Avatar makes me want to see it in live action. The cartoon is why it is fun. Now, an avatar CG movie, that I could see enjoying. But why make a movie at all? The only reason I could think of would be to extend the adventures of the gAang past the end of the show. And... Shyamalan directing what is essentially a fantasy kung fu story? Ye gods.[/quote]

And if the original creators did it would it be any better? Maybe if the original team planned on making a movie or something, then it might be good. But then it'd be like some other TV shows made as films in which watching the shows requires one to understand the movie, in which case as a movie, by itself, it'll suck all sheep-cock to anyone except people who already like Zutana (got-damn I hate how I know what that means...)

Seriously, look at the Powerpuff Girls Movie... Look at the Spongebob Squarepants movie!! Hell, look at ANY Nickelodeon movie based on one of their shows. I like Avatar, but I don't trust the team being capable of making a cartoon movie based on their show, sorry. I'd say they'd have just as good a shot (having never made a commercial movie before) as Shyamalan.

If they got Gendy Tartakovsky to do it though... Hell, that'd be worth watching.

Anyway, in conclusion, I'd like to say at least it's not Uwe Boll... K'bye!

 

[Erk]

Ixis, regarding your arguments about my point, look more carefully:

why make a movie at all?

I think the whole idea is bad, and I would not be heartily excited about it if the creators were making it, either... although I would be much, much more keen than I am to see something I like very much as it is being changed in, so far as I can see, most ways imaginable. And that is why fans generally complain about things like the Transformers movie, or Shyamalan doing an Avatar movie. In the former case, the movie looks nothing like Transformers. All the stylings of Transformers that I remember from my childhood have been pissed on in many places... when something has a look that has become iconic for a generation, why would anyone think they needed to turn this into this? Regardless of which style you prefer, it is an enormous diversion from the norm. It sends the message that they don't believe the existing style was good, it needed to be changed so drastically that it is no longer even recognisable; to fans more than anyone, that says they don't respect the existing franchise.

Likewise, one of the major recognisable aspects of Avatar is a cartoony, lighthearted adventure-story approach to a serious plot, turning what could easily be portrayed as fairly dark fantasy into a show for young adults. That is its appeal, even to adults. I can get decent dark fantasy anywhere. Avatar would be really bad dark fantasy. The lighthearted approach is what makes it not only palatable, but great fun to watch. When I see "M Night Shyamalan" and "live action", I am immediately sent the message that this will not be light hearted, nor an adventure story. Perhaps that is selling it short, but placing a very typecast - by his own hand, since he writes his own screenplays - essentially failed director (one needs only look at the sharp falloff in his market gross to confirm that he is, indeed, failing... and fast) in charge of a movie version of a popular show that does not fit that typecast cannot be expected to bring anything but shock and doubt to anyone who knows anything about the subject matter... fans or no.

Hope that illuminated the reactions for you a bit. Also, just for conversation's sake, anyone who did not get the twists in Unbreakable and the Village needs to be hit with a stick. I got the twist in the Village from watching the trailer. :p 6th sense was so good because nobody expected a twist... since then, it has lost its power.

 

[Wings]

Hmm... I doubt it. This is Shyamalan's first attempt at working on something that already has a track-record and a fanbase. And seeing the way his flims have progressed (or degressed) since the Sixth-Sense, I think we have more than enough proof that Shyamalan will surprise us. Between "The Village" and "Lady in the Water" he's broken down the idea that whatever film he makes will wind up with some insane plot-twist.

I think you're basing you opinion on his latest film anyway and not looking beyond your own fandom of Avatar.

Of course there is going to be some sort of track record and fan base after The Sixth Sense. Most of the reason why was already explained by Erk, so I'm not going to elabourate any further on that point.

My opinion is being based on his latest film? That seems like an empty assumption considering, as I've already stated, that his films are complete shit in my opinion. I don't like any of them. Maybe I could turn the tables here and say the same exact thing in regards to you and M. Night Shyamalan.

EDIT: @Erk : Go ahead and slap me with a stick because I was completely lost throughout watching The Village. ;p

 

[macchia]

"When he makes cameo's normally it's in an Alfred Hitchcock kind of way. "

I view it more as a Spike Lee sort of thing. It takes an incredible kind of ego to think both "I will write myself into the movie" and "I dont need any acting lessons at all". This is no Alfred Hitchcock, and I do believe his bit parts have gotten exponentially larger since '6th Sense' and he's been in all of his movies. Just gauging by similiar hacks who got lucky afew times due to a good scriptwriter(again, Spike Lee) his bit parts will continue to get larger and hamper down his possibly otherwise watchable movies.
Here's the reality, honestly. Anything that scores more than 1.5 million on cable these days is liable to become a film because Hollywood's out of ideas(I know, people have been saying that for 10 years and its mostly true). Its true for videogames as well. You'd be surprised how many liscenced games and movies you've never heared of because they sucked so bad(Jaws the game, Bloodrayne the movie) still managed to break a profit on their name alone.