Netflix logo.
Netflix is an American streaming service launched in 2007 and based in California, USA. The subscription based service provides video on-demand over the Internet, comprising both original and acquired films and televisions shows, available across multiple languages and in a majority of countries. Netflix is the most-subscribed video on demand streaming service, and as of the first quarter of 2024 had over 270 million paid subscribers.[1]
On February 22, 2024, the first season of the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, comprising eight episodes, began streaming on Netflix. The series was renewed for two more seasons on March 6, 2024,[2] with production for the second season scheduled to wrap in early 2025.[3]
History[]
The media company Netflix Inc. was founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in California. The company launched as a DVD rental and sales website, initially through a per-rental model, but it later introduced a monthly subscription concept in 1999. Netflix suffered losses in September 2000 during the dot-com bubble and an offer to sell the company to Blockbuster for $50 million was declined. It managed to rebound in subsequent years, posting its first profit of $6.5 million in 2003.
In 2007, Netflix launched a streaming service offering video on demand via the Internet, data speeds and bandwidth costs had improved sufficiently to allow customers to download movies. The company continued its DVD rental service, but by 2009 Netflix streams had overtaken the number of DVD shipments, and in November 2010 Netflix began offering the streaming service as a standalone product.
Netflix began developing original content in 2011, with the first Netflix Original production, political drama House of Cards, released on February 1, 2013. It also ordered the comedy-drama Orange is the New Black, which released in July of that year. In November 2013, it was announced that Netflix had ordered a slate of four television series based on the Marvel Comics characters Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage.
Avatar: The Last Airbender[]
- Main article: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Poster for the first season of Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.
On September 18, 2018, Avatar co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino announced a new live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender would air on Netflix, with production scheduled to begin in 2019.[4] On August 12, 2020, DiMartino and Konietzko announced they had left production in June, citing creative differences with Netflix,[5] and on March 15, 2021, it was confirmed that Albert Kim had replaced them as showrunner.[6]
On June 17, 2023, a first teaser trailer and first look at Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko were shown during Netflix's TUDUM at São Paulo, where it was first announced that the show would air in 2024.[7] A full trailer dropped on November 9 as part of Netflix's Geeked Week, revealing the show would air on February 22, 2024.[8][9] The full streaming release of the series on Netflix occurred on February 22; the budget for the series was at least US $100 million.[10] Though reception to the series was mixed,[11][12] it opened at number one in the world, topping Netflix's charts in 84 different countries.[13] Across the first four days, it reached 153.4 million hours viewed, equating to 21.2 million total views,[14]
On March 6, 2024, it was announced that the live-action series had been renewed for two more seasons, covering Books Two and Three.[2] On April 4, 2024, it was announced that Albert Kim would step down as showrunner for seasons two and three, though will continue as an executive producer. He was replaced as showrunner by Christine Boylan, who had previously worked as a writer on the first season, together with director and VFX supervisor Jabbar Raisani.[15]