History Trivia / TheLastAirbender

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/MNightShyamalan is one of the few instances of a fan being able to promote himself into the position. The movie was merely in the talking stage until he approached Creator/{{Paramount}}[=/=]Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} and offered to direct it.

* AbilityOverAppearance: The filmmakers used this trope against accusations of {{Race Lift}}ing various characters.

-->''"the Earth Kingdom is all Asian so Toph will have to be [Asian]."''

** Before things turned [[StillbornFranchise stillborn]], Shyamalan planned to counter the [[FanNickname 'Racebending']] complaints in the sequel by casting Toph with an Asian actress "... the Earth Kingdom is all Asian so Toph will have to be [Asian]." Unfortunately the wording seems to imply that the overall UnfortunateImplications would have remained.

** Before things turned [[StillbornFranchise stillborn]]), Shyamalan mentioned how Toph would potentially get an asian actress (possibly in response to the [[FanNickname 'Racebending']] complaints) "... the Earth Kingdom is all Asian so Toph will have to be [Asian]." It's arguable, however, if this would fix the overall UnfortunateImplications, or enforce it more.

** In regards to the planned sequels, Shyamalan mentioned he planned to give Toph an Asian actress to counter the "Racebending" controversy and that he would see the Ursa subplot resolved, rather then left hanging like in the cartoon. It's looking very unlikely that we'll ever see those sequels.

* FranchiseKiller: While the cartoon is [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra going on strong,]] the public response and critical failure of this film make any sequels unlikely at best.

* ExecutiveMeddling: There seems to have been quite a bit of this from Paramount.

** In regards to the planned sequels, Shyamalan mentioned he planned to give Toph an asian actress to counter the "Racebending" controversy and that he would see the Ursa subplot resolved, rather then left hanging like in the cartoon. It's looking very unlikely that we'll ever see those sequels.

* DisownedAdaptation: Avatar co-creators Michael [=DiMartino=] and Bryan Konietzko seem to share their fanbase's distaste for the film, having said in recent interviews that it distorted their vision of Avatar and have even advised people, including members of the ''original cast'' not to watch it.

* [[PlayingAgainstType Directing Against Type]]
** Although Creator/MNightShyamalan is well-known for his supernatural movies, this movie marks his first fantasy action-adventure epic, as well as his first franchise-based adaptation.
** For a more standard example of PlayingAgainstType, ''Series/TheDailyShow'''s Aasif Mandvi as Admiral Zhao. At least he's already got the [[LargeHam ham]] down.

* OldShame: Although their involvement with the film was minimal, Avatar co-creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko seem to share their fanbase's distaste for the film, having said in recent interviews that it distorted their vision of Avatar and have even advised people, including members of the ''original cast'' not to watch it.

* StillbornFranchise: After three-plus years and nothing moving on the production front, it's firmly stillborn. [[WordOfGod Bryan and Mark]] are not exactly heartbroken about that.

* CreatorKiller: Shymalan's career [[Film/TheVillage wasn't]] [[Film/LadyInTheWater exactly]] [[Film/TheHappening spotless]] before this film, but it looks to be the final nail in the coffin. For his next film, ''Film/{{Devil}}'', he was neither writer nor director and his name actually drew jeers from audiences when it appeared in trailers.

* StillbornFranchise: There's no talk of a sequel despite the planned 3 adaptations based on the 3 seasons of the show and the obvious SequelHook.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The first draft of the movie included all twenty episodes of the series, adding up to a whopping seven hours. Instead, the movie was cut down to barely two hours, and Paramount also had another half hour of film cut from theatrical release because they wanted to convert it into 3-D as quickly as possible.

* CastingTheExpert: Noah Ringer (Aang) was cast more for his martial arts experience (he got a black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 10) than his acting ability; in fact he had to take acting lessons before shooting started because he'd never acted before.

* [[PlayingAgainstType Directing Against Type]]:

** For a more standard example of PlayingAgainstType, TheDailyShow's Aasif Mandvi as [[strike: Senior Fire Nation Correspondent]] Admiral Zhao. At least he's already got the [[LargeHam ham]] down.

* StillbornFranchise: There's no talk of a sequel despite the planned 3 adaptations based on the 3 seasons of the show and the obvious SequelHook.

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/MNightShyamalan is one of the few instances of a fan being able to promote himself into the position. The movie was merely in the talking stage until he approached Creator/{{Paramount}}[=/=]Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} and offered to direct it.

* FranchiseKiller: While the cartoon is [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra going on strong,]] the public response and critical failure of this film make any sequels unlikely at best.

* CreatorKiller: Shymalan's career [[Film/TheVillage wasn't]] [[Film/LadyInTheWater exactly]] [[Film/TheHappening spotless]] before this film, but it looks to be the final nail in the coffin. For his next film, ''Film/{{Devil}}'', he was neither writer nor director and his name actually drew jeers from audiences when it appeared in trailers.