Following the recent addition of Invincible star Steven Yeun to its voice cast, fans got a minor update on Nickelodeon Movies and Avatar Studios’ upcoming animated feature from the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. During the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon president Ramsey Naito revealed that the pic will be officially titled The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. The project was previously referred to as simply Aang: The Last Airbender.
Slated for release on January 30, 2026, The Legend of Aang will continue the story begun in the critically acclaimed Nickelodeon animated series (2005), which is set in a world divided into four states — Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads — where beings called Benders have the power to control their realm’s element. A figure known as the “Avatar” is the only one who can control all four states.
The series introduced a 12-year-old named Aang, the long-lost Avatar, and the new movie will pick up with the grown-up Aang (now in his early twenties) and his companions some years after the events of the show.
Aang is being directed by series alum Lauren Montgomery (Superman: Doomsday, Wonder Woman, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) and co-directed by William Mata (Dora and the Fantastical Creatures), with series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko executive producing alongside Eric Coleman. The voice cast is led by Eric Nam as Aang, Dave Bautista as an unnamed villain, Dionne Quan as Toph, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka and Yeun in a TBA role.
Paramount Animation also spotlighted the upcoming family animated features, with studio head Ramsey Naito presenting new footage from Smurfs (July 18, 2025) and a first-look at The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (Dec. 19, 2025) from voice stars Tom Kenny and Mark Hamill. Audiences can also look forward to PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie (July 31, 2026) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 (Oct. 9, 2026).
Paramount Animation Slate:
PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie
July 31, 2026
Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Spin Master Entertainment
Directed by: Cal Brunker
Written by: Cal Brunker &a Bob Barlen
Producers: Jennifer Dodge, Laura Clunie and Toni Stevens
Executive Producers: Ronnen Harary, Bob Barlen
Cast: Mckenna Grace, Jennifer Hudson, Fortune Feimster
Synopsis: In PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, after their ship gets caught in a mysterious storm, the PAW Patrol crash land on an uncharted tropical island filled with dinosaurs. They meet Rex, a pup who has been stranded on the island for years and has become an expert in all things dino-related. When the PAW Patrol’s arch rival, Humdinger, begins recklessly mining in hopes of exploiting the island for its natural resources, he inadvertently causes a huge, dormant volcano to erupt. The PAW Patrol are thrown into a series of high-stakes, dino-sized rescues bigger than anything they’ve done before, as they must stop Humdinger before everything on the island goes extinct.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender
January 30, 2026
Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies; in association with Domain Entertainment
Directed by: Lauren Montgomery
Co-Directed by: William Mata
Based on: The series Avatar: The Last Airbender created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
Producers: Maryann Garger, Latifa Ouaou, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino
Cast: Dave Bautista, Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, Román Zaragoza, introducing Eric Nam, with Steven Yeun
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2
October 9, 2026
Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies; in association with Domain Entertainment
Directed by: Jeff Rowe
Co-Directed by: Kyler Spears, Yashar Kassai
Based on: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Characters Created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman
Producers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, Ramsay McBean
Executive Producers: Lukas Williams
Smurfs
July 18, 2025
Paramount Animation; In Association with Domain Entertainment
Directed by: Chris Miller
Written by: Pam Brady
Based on: The characters and works of Peyo
Producers: Jay Brown, Ty Ty Smith, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Ryan Harris, p.g.a.
Cast: Rihanna, James Corden, Nick Offerman, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy, Amy Sedaris, Natasha Lyonne, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Alex Winter, Maya Erskine, Billie Lourd and Xolo Maridueña, with Kurt Russell and John Goodman
Synopsis: When Papa Smurf (John Goodman) is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette (Rihanna) leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
December 19, 2025
Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies; In Association with Domain Entertainment and MRC
Directed by: Derek Drymon
Screenplay by: Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman
Story by: Pam Brady and Kaz & Andrew Goodman
Based on: The series SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg
Producers: Lisa Stewart, Pam Brady, Aaron Dem
Executive Producers: Marc Ceccarelli, Vincent Waller
Cast: Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Mark Hamill (Flying Dutchman)
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