Netflix has some pretty bad live-action remakes on its platform, including Cowboy Bebop, which was canceled after just one season, but none compare to the absolute garbage that is The Last Airbender. This movie takes the crown as one of the worst adaptations of all time, with an abysmal 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie turned out to be the complete opposite of the source material it was adapted from. The iconic anime Avatar: The Last Airbender scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which begs the question, how did they get the adaptation so wrong?
The movie had multiple issues that attributed to its downfall, such as being written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who is known for his plot twists in thriller movies. He was even nominated for two Oscars for his horror film The Sixth Sense, so why on Earth did he try to make a kid’s film?
Fans of the original anime also slammed the film for its problematic casting choices, where it whitewashed many of its leading cast despite the original characters coming from an Asian background. Even with all this backlash from critics and audiences alike, the film somehow turned a profit and managed to pull in $319 million globally at the box office.
Even though it turned a profit, negative reactions to The Last Airbender are enough to scar anyone associated with the film. Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel, who portrayed Prince Zuko in the film, was so ashamed of the movie he says he stays away from blockbusters because of it.
Netflix won’t let the disappointment of The Last Airbender stop it from attempting to make a more accurate adaptation, and has recently announced that an Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action remake is in production.