The 2026 movie schedule already has some incredible releases lined up, but I have to admit, the new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie has me most excited. As a long-time fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I’ve been the girl who has been constantly on top of it.
I’ve been loving the ATLA universe and whatever comes with it. I binged the entire live-action ATLA show on Netflix and enjoyed it – and I’m still impatiently waiting for ATLA Season 2, whenever that comes. Heck, I even have an Appa plushie – I’m hardcore.
So, of course, with the new film coming out, called The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, I’m eager for that. But a new piece of casting news – regarding who is going to voice Zuko – has me annoyed, and I need to talk about why this feels wrong.
I’m Alright For Some Movies Having Big-Name Casting
If you haven’t heard, the person voicing Zuko in the upcoming film will be Steven Yeun. I want to say first off, I have no problem with voice actors changing, most of the time, for movies that tend to be adapted from TV shows. I’ve seen it time and time again. Sometimes it’s done really well. Other times it’s… not. I’m still not the biggest fan of Chris Pratt in the Mario cast. But either way, it’s not like this is a new thing.
And Steven Yeun is one of my favorite actors. I’ve been a big fan of Steven Yeun’s best films, and have actively watched his career flourish over the past decade and a half from Yeun’s time in The Walking Dead to now. And of course, plenty know him from Invincible, a great superhero show on Amazon where he does an excellent job voicing the main character. On any other movie, I’d be excited for this. But there’s one thing I’m not happy about.
The Original Voice-Actor For Zuko Is Still Very Much A Part Of The Franchise
A while back, I wrote about why I believe that Zuko has one of the best character arcs in all of television, and I stand by that to this day. And while his story plays a vital role in that, his voice acting from Dante Busco is just as major.
The voice actor has been a massive fan of this franchise for years. In fact, I would honestly say, besides the creators of the series, he’s the face of it, where he’s had talks about it, hosted podcasts, and gone to fan conventions. And the fact that he wasn’t the most obvious pick for this after the years he has dedicated to this series boggles me.
I’ve seen some people say that the kids are adults in this film, so that’s why the voices changed. But so is Dante Busco. The voice actor is well into his adult years. You don’t think he could voice an older Zuko?
Again, normally, this wouldn’t upset me as much, but the fact that he clearly loves this series, and he’s not going to play this character that people love – and love him voicing – irks my ATLA-loving heart.
I Wish That The Original Cast At Least Had Some Involvement With The Film
I know that not every single voice actor from the show can be a part of the new film. I’m not blind to the complexities of the modern-day box office and the need for big names to draw in people. But this feels like it’s slowly morphing into something ATLA fans don’t want.
I really want it to be good, but it’s going to be hard to imagine that without the involvement from the voice actors that brought these characters to life in animated series. And now, with Dante Busco not voicing Zuko…it’ll be even harder for me.
Either way, I’m still going to end up seeing the film – I’m still an ATLA girly. But I’ll just be saying my own ‘that’s rough, buddy’ the moment I sit in the theater.