Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender director Lauren Montgomery has responded to the Paramount Plus movie's wave of leaks – but doesn't think it will harm the staying power of the animated feature.
"Under the circumstances of everything that happened, [it is bittersweet]," Montgomery admits to GamesRadar+ at San Diego Comic-Con. "But I'm excited that we get to share it sooner than later."
Previously, Avatar Aang – a sequel movie following the exploits of the Gang as they discover a dormant Airbender – was set for Paramount Plus in October (and, prior to that, a theatrical release).
However, a series of leaks that allegedly included the entire movie being available on social media months ahead of time proved to be a blow to those hoping to hold out until near Halloween for a chance to see The Last Airbender. In turn, Paramount shifted up the release to July 25 on its streaming service – but Montgomery sees the positives in the shift.
"We were going to have to wait until October knowing we were all really happy with this movie… now, we get to share it at Comic-Con, which is a huge event," Montgomery says.
"Everything else, they're just situations that are out of our control. You can mourn it a little bit, but in the long run you have to believe in what you've made – and know that this is a short moment in time. The movie is going to live much longer than that. We're happy it's going to be out there now."
Also at SDCC, The Last Airbender team have confirmed a "secret" TV show is in the works. Legend of Korra sequel Seven Havens has also been set for a October 9 release.
Discover our verdict in the Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender review.
For more from this year's SDCC, check out the SDCC 2026 schedule and our SDCC 2026 live-blog to make sure you don't miss a second of the action in San Diego.
