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Freeplay social media game and experience based on M. Night Shyamalan's July 2, 2010 release The Last Airbender allows fans to play as any one of the Four Nations
LOS ANGELES and SAN FRANCISCO, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Crunchyroll, Inc., announced today the release of 'Become the Avatar,' a freeplay interactive social media game and experience based on M. Night Shyamalan's July 2, 2010 3D release: The Last Airbender. 'Become the Avatar' is available now by accessing the "Games" section of the official The Last Airbender movie website,http://www.thelastairbendermovie.com/ or directly on Facebook athttp://apps.facebook.com/becometheavatar
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO)
Featuring visuals from the film, 'Become the Avatar' allows fans of the movie to play as any one of the Four Nations in a casual, 'level-up' adventure to become a bender of their favorite element. Utilizing Crunchyroll's in-house development studio headed by Crunchyroll co-founder James Lin, Crunchyroll and Paramount Pictures have worked closely together with the filmmakers to create a social media experience aligned with M. Night Shyamalan's vision of the world of The Last Airbender. 'Become the Avatar' is not rated by the ESRB.
Crunchyroll Vice President of Licensing Rob Pereyda said: "We love working with big brands, and being a part of the launch of one of the most action-packed and anticipated movies in a long time is an exciting step for us. By leveraging our internal resources and expertise in brand adaptation, product development, and game design, we have created what I hope is also one of this year's most talked about social media games. Hopefully, the only thing that pulls 'Become the Avatar' players away from the game is the release of the film itself on July 2, 2010!"
Paramount EVP of Interactive Marketing Strategy & Film Production Amy Powell said: "We have noticed a high affinity for social media among potential moviegoers of The Last Airbender, so it is only natural to extend our interactive marketing to a social media game. In social media gaming, with Crunchyroll's expertise, we were able to create an experience that broadly appeals to the casual and hardcore fans, both of The Last Airbender movie and of social media itself."
About The Last Airbender Film
Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.
Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film "The Last Airbender" which is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan is the opening chapter in Aang's struggle to survive.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.
About Nickelodeon Movies
Nick Movies has firmly established itself as a leading kid and family theatrical brand, producing a variety of live-action and animation features including The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Barnyard and the upcoming The Last Airbender. The feature film development and production division of Nickelodeon, Nick Movies, produces kid and family movies in association with its sister Viacom company, Paramount Pictures. Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon Movies and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is a leading global video network and developer of social media applications for Japanese anime and Asian media. Through applications like Crunchyroll for iPad and Naruto Shippuden Official, set top boxes, affiliate websites and its own site, Crunchyroll delivers officially-licensed content from leading Asian media producers directly to consumers.
Crunchyroll has offices in San Francisco, Calif. and Tokyo, Japan, and is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations(AJA) and Licensing International Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). Founded in 2006, Crunchyroll is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock, Japanese entertainment giant TV TOKYO and a group of angel investors representing some of the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The companies may change their intentions, beliefs or expectations, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the companies' assumptions or otherwise. The companies undertake no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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From:
Jackson Rathbone Movie Still, from The Last Airbender
Paramount Pictures released this new movie still featuring Jackson
The Last Airbender by director M. Night Shyamalan (The Happening) stars Jackson Rathbone (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Cliff Curtis (Push) and Seychelle Gabriel (The Spirit).
Click Here for more photos, news and videos from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Synopsis: The film is set in a fantasy world where the 4 elements of earth, air, water, and fire can be controlled through martial arts called bending, and the ruthless flame-manipulating Fire Nation is waging war to control the other nations of the world.
At the same time a young boy named Aang, the last surviving wind manipulator or Airbender and is also the Avatar, the physical incarnation of the world itself who possesses the ability to manipulate all 4 elements, is on a quest to stop the Firebenders and save the world, with his friends Katara, a water-manipulating Waterbender from the South Pole, and her brother Sokka.
But the skilled and vicious Prince Zuko the banished Prince of the Fire Nation, is on the trail of the Avatar, seeking to regain his lost honor by capturing him.
The Last Airbender Sokka Movie Still
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From:
Olympics TV spot for The Last Airbender
Paramount Pictures decided that the Winter Olympics 2010 would be a suitable event to debut a brand new TV spot for The Last Airbender, and I am glad they did.
I haven’t seen one single episode of the original cartoon however all the trailers released so far along with this new TV spot, get me all excited..
It is s something about the visuals and epic feel that gets me interested, and I can’t wait until the movie is released in July. Hopefully M. Night Shyamalan won’t disappoint.
The film’s hero, the reluctant young Aang (Noah Ringer), is the Last Airbender, the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together.
Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara (Nicola Peltz) and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world. Dev Patel plays the Fire Nation’s Evil Prince Zuko.
Exiled from the Fire Nation by his father Zuko is sent to capture the Avatar in order to restore his honor and right to the throne.
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New TV, Spot for The Last Airbender
Yes, Paramount is continuing its strong promotion of The Last Airbender with a new TV spot airing during the Olympics.
The first teaser trailer, followed by the Super Bowl spot, and the theatrical trailer have gotten very good response. The adaptation of the extremely popular cartoon is directed by M. Night Shyamalan with an expected release date of July 2nd.
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M.Night Shyamalan talks The Last Airbender
The director discusses his reasons for choosing this Film, & more.
“Aang himself needs to find balance to be the Avatar and to master each of these elements," the filmmaker said.
The Sixth Sense director was drawn to the Buddhist philosophies in the cartoon and noticed similar spiritual undertones in movies likeStar Wars and The Matrix.
“In the first 'Matrix,' you realize that what you’re seeing is all false. Those are really ancient ideas. Basic old old religion. This has that as well.
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Article From the Ugo website:
For many, Avatar: The Last Airbender is a sprawling fantasy epic that takes the best of anime, martial arts studies and fantasy and mixes them into an intoxicating drink of fun...and they're really worried about it jumping to the big screen.
To others, it's some cartoon their dork friends clamor over and a live action version makes them want to whip out their copy of The Matrix faster than you can say, "Yip Yip."
Either way, you're skeptical. I don't blame you. It's hard to trust a guy who thought The Happening was a good idea, and giving him a beloved property is the last thing a fan wants to hear.
But as much as the fanboys backhand The Last Airbender with their 140-character mini-rants, I believe M. Night's The Last Airbender can save the summer.
I have faith, in the dark void that is the movie-blogging world, that M. Night can kick our collective asses.
...and here's why you should too:
The Vision
M. Night is a lot like you: he's ready to forget and move on from his disasters. He's wants to make his Star Wars, hisLord of the Rings, his epic. I saw him speak at the 2008 NY Licensing Expo, you could tell the man is jazzed aboutAvatar: The Last Airbender (and if you've seen the cartoon, you'll know why). Paramount (Star Trek, Iron Man,Transformers) does not simply hand over $250 million dollars. M. Night sold them (and me, obviously).
First step to making an epic trilogy: bring in the big boys.
A Team With Balls (and Gravitas)
Look up Frank Marshall (here, I did it for you, lazy), and you'll notice he's spent thirty years producing innovative and imaginative pictures. From Spielberg-produced actioners like Radiers, Goonies, and Back to the Future to theBourne franchise to epic dramas like Benjamin Button, Marshall is a producer who knows how to keep a movie slick, focused and successful. Throw in DP Andrew Lesnie, the eye behind LOTR, I Am Legend and King Kong and you'll understand why I'm already getting the shakes. Imagine the Fire Tribe invading the North Pole, Helm's Deep style...
Peter Jackson - 10 Years Ago
One of the biggest complaints I hear when discussing Last Airbender is, "M. Night isn't qualified to direct this movie." True, he didn't graduate from Action Film Academy, but a guy's gotta get his break sometime. Take Peter Jackson. Before LOTR, he was the New Zealander king of horror schlock (sorry, Bad Taste, Meet the Feebles and The Frighteners were bad movies, as great as they are), but his passion for Tolkein's work landed him $300 mil and a trilogy. Like Jackson, M. Night doesn't have the body of work to support him, but that's why he's hired the people who do. Just remember his one skill...
M. Night Can Direct Kids
While you can spend countless months choreographing fight scenes and action camera moves, it's impossible to study what Night does best: directing youngsters. Airbender centers on three kids who go from goofy roughhousing to life-or-death battle scenes in the snap of a finger. Aang, Katara and Sokka have a rapport, and M. Night's proven with his work in Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs, that he as the chops to bring these characters to life.
The Source Material
M. Night loves Avatar: The Last Airbender, and he acknowledges that the creators know a thing or two about their baby by bringing them on as producers. Each chapter of Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko's three-part tail is perfectly tailored for cinematic translation...that should make for an easy adaptation by M. Night. How can you go wrong with a kid learning how to move water with his mind? Answer: you can't.
And are you telling me you can turn down Appa the Sky Bison!?
The Last Airbender hits theaters July 2nd, and I'll be the first one in line.