Avatar Is Officially Paramount+'s Long-Term Bet

Published Oct 17, 2026, 7:30 PM EDT

Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.

With a huge amount of potential after expanding the universe and announcing even more to come, few animated franchises have the storytelling possibilities of Avatar: The Last Airbender. With the franchise's elemental magic system at its core, the cycle of interconnected history and reincarnated Avatars allows the creative team to tell stories across various eras without abandoning the core of the world. This means that Paramount+, the home of Avatar: The Last Airbender, is set up for huge returns with the franchise as it continues to expand. As it's moved beyond its original scope, Avatar has embraced major changes.

While there's a challenge in building up the franchise around different stories that feature characters of separate eras and varying powers, the slate of new projects that are coming to Paramount+ from the Avatar franchise are all heavy hitters. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender premiered on Paramount+ in July 2026, and though it wasn't the theatrical release viewers had hoped for, the film was well received. Now, with the franchise's future wrapped up in shows like Avatar: Seven Havens and the upcoming Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos, the winds are changing, but appear to be growing all the stronger for Avatar.

With Avatar: Seven Havens getting a massive update after its release and the upcoming series already seeming like a good fit for pre-existing viewers, the Avatar franchise is placing its bets on TV releases to keep it moving forward. Thankfully, Paramount+ seems to be invested in the long-term future of the franchise, as well.

Paramount+ Is Putting A Lot Of Long-Term Hope Into The Avatar Franchise

While the sting of disappointment from Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender failing to get a theatrical release was tough to come back from, Paramount+ seems to see the strength in the Avatar franchise after the film's success on streaming. The film, which was followed by Avatar: Seven Havens release earlier this month, made it clear that viewers will follow the Avatar franchise wherever it goes, especially with the expansion of lore. During New York Comic Con, the franchise creators shared that Paramount+ was doubling down on Seven Havens, renewing the series through its fourth season after the release of its first.

It was also announced that an animated prequel series, which will be focused on Avatar Kuruk, is now in development, which continues to extend the universe out even further. The commitment to Seven Havens is what stands out among the announcements and praise, as the series has only just gotten off its feet with the first season. Knowing that Paramount+ is putting its faith behind Seven Havens continuing to perform, and the Avatar franchise continuing to grow for the platform, means that there's a ton of confidence in what's to come. With a long narrative ahead, the Avatar franchise has Paramount+'s long-term support.

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Avatar: Seven Havens Is Already Marking A Fun, New Era Of The Franchise

Image via Paramount+

The newest series in the Avatar: The Last Airbender family, Seven Havens, is ushering in a whole new era for the franchise, one that feels lighter and more accessible than it has in the past. Seven Havens takes place after The Legend of Korra, and follows Pavi and her long-lost twin sister Nisha, who uncover their origins while confronting major dangers to their world. Pavi, who's more of the focal point of the series, is a young Earthbender who discovers she's the new Avatar in the wake of catastrophe, and while finding Nisha is a comfort, her story is painful nonetheless.

Bringing a fresh jumping off point into the franchise, Pavi is a different kind of Avatar. While Aang's story begins with him being a savior and Korra inherits political turmoil and struggle he has to untangle, Pavi is living in a society that doesn't see Avatars as saviors, and instead fears their return. The twin-centric story also offers an interesting new perspective for Seven Havens, which allows the show to explore more mythology by expanding on both characters' backgrounds. While there are risks, Seven Havens has already opened up the universe to new storytelling, and the Avatar franchise is better for it.