Michael Dante DiMartino

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Michael Dante DiMartino
Michael Dante DiMartino by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
DiMartino at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1974-07-18) July 18, 1974 (age 49)
Alma mater Rhode Island School of Design (BFA)
Occupation(s)Animator, producer, writer, director
Years active1993present
Known forCo-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra
TitleCo-Chief Creative Officer, Avatar Studios
SpouseShoshana Stolove
Children2

Michael Dante DiMartino (born July 18, 1974) is an American animator, producer, writer, and director. He is best known, together with Bryan Konietzko, as the co-creator of the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra , both on Nickelodeon.

Contents

Career

Before Avatar, DiMartino worked for twelve years at Film Roman, helping to direct King of the Hill , Family Guy and Mission Hill , in addition to his own animated short, Atomic Love, which was screened at a number of high-profile film festivals. The dedication to his father's memory can be seen in the penultimate episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender. In a 2010 interview the president of Nickelodeon, Cyma Zarghami, confirmed that DiMartino and Konietzko were developing a new series for the network, called The Legend of Korra. [1] The series premiered on April 14, 2012, running 12 episodes for the first book "Air" and 14 for the second book "Spirits", which premiered on September 13, 2013, to 2.60 million viewers in the U.S., then the third book "Change" and the fourth and final book "Balance" of 13 episodes each.

On October 4, 2016, DiMartino released a new original novel, Rebel Genius. [2] The story features a 12-year-old protagonist, Giacomo, who discovers he has a magical 'Genius,' the living embodiment of an artist's creative spirit, in a world where artistic expression is outlawed.

In September 2018, it was announced that Konietzko and DiMartino would serve as executive producers and showrunners for Netflix's live-action adaptation series of Avatar: The Last Airbender. [3] On August 12, 2020, Konietzko and DiMartino revealed on social media that they had both departed the show due to creative differences with the Netflix team. [4]

In February 2021, ViacomCBS (the parent company of Nickelodeon) announced its formation of Avatar Studios, a division of Nickelodeon centered on developing newer animated series and movies set in the same universe as Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra with both DiMartino and Konietzko helming the studio as co-chief creative officers reporting to Nickelodeon Animation Studio president, Ramsey Ann Naito. The first project of the studio is an animated film set in the Avatar universe taking place between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The film entered production in 2021 and is currently set to release on January 20, 2026. [5] [6] Two more films in the Avatar universe are also in production at Avatar Studios. [7]

Personal life

DiMartino was born in Shelburne, Vermont. [8] He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1996, where he majored in animation. [9] He met Bryan Konietzko, with whom he created Avatar, while in college.

Filmography

YearTitleCreator / ShowrunnerDirectorWriterExecutive ProducerStory EditorActorRoleNotes
1999–2002 Family Guy NoYesNoNoNoNo6 episodes
2000–2003 King of the Hill NoYesNoNoNoNo3 episodes
2002 Mission Hill NoYesNoNoNoNoEpisode "Unemployment: Part 2"
2005–2008 Avatar: The Last Airbender YesYesYesYesYesNo
2010 The Last Airbender NoNoNoYesNoNo
2012–2014 The Legend of Korra YesYesYesYesYesYesVarious Voices
2021 Adventures in Wonder Park NoYesNoNoNoNoEpisode "Pilot"

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<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> American animated television series

Avatar: The Last Airbender, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang in some regions, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zuko</span> Fictional character from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

PrinceZuko, also known as the Blue Spirit, is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Eric Coleman and designed by series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character is voiced by Dante Basco in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Bruce Davison in The Legend of Korra, and portrayed by Dev Patel in M. Night Shyamalan's 2010 film The Last Airbender and Dallas Liu in the 2024 Netflix live-action remake series.

Katara (<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i>) Character in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

Katara is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Mae Whitman in the original series and Eva Marie Saint in the sequel series, The Legend of Korra. She is Chief Hakoda and Kya's daughter and Sokka's younger sister. In the 2010 live action film adaptation, she was played by Nicola Peltz, while in the live-action television series adaptation, she is portrayed by Kiawentiio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iroh</span> Fictional character in Avatar: The Last Airbender

General Iroh, credited as Uncle, is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character was voiced by Mako in the first two seasons and, due to Mako's death, by Greg Baldwin in the third season and the sequel series The Legend of Korra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aang</span> Fictional character from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar Aang, or simply Aang, is the titular protagonist of Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen. Aang was the last surviving Airbender, a monk of the Air Nomads' Southern Air Temple, and the youngest ever airbending master.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Konietzko</span> American animation director

Bryan Konietzko is an American animator, writer, producer and director. He is best known, together with Michael Dante DiMartino, as the co-creator and executive producer of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> season 1 Animated television series episode list

Book One: Water is the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. The first season aired on Nickelodeon from February 21 to December 2, 2005, and consisted of 20 episodes. The series stars Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Mako Iwamatsu, and Jason Isaacs as the main character voices.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> season 2 Second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender animation series

Book Two: Earth is the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. The series starred Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Jessie Flower, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Mako Iwamatsu and Grey DeLisle as the main character voices.

<i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i> season 3 Third season of Avatar: The Last Airbender episode list

Book Three: Fire is the third and final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, an American animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series stars Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, Jack DeSena, Michaela Jill Murphy, Dante Basco, Dee Bradley Baker, Greg Baldwin, Grey DeLisle, and Mark Hamill as the main character voices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sozin's Comet</span> Series finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender

"Sozin's Comet" is the four-part series finale of the American animated Nickelodeon television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It was written by the creators alongside Aaron Ehasz, and directed by Ethan Spaulding, Giancarlo Volpe, and Joaquim Dos Santos. Although the finale is split into four episodes, it aired as a two-hour four-part film on July 19, 2008. The Saturday airing of "Sozin's Comet" acted as a climax to a week of ten new episodes that concluded Avatar's third season. Before the week of July 14–19, no episodes had been shown in the US since November 30, 2007, though some episodes had been released on DVD prior to their airdate. This is also considered a 92-minute television movie.

Lauren Eve Montgomery is an American storyboard artist, director, character designer, producer and writer.

<i>The Legend of Korra</i> American animated television series

The Legend of Korra, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Korra, or more rarely simply as Korra, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. A sequel to their previous series Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired from 2005 to 2008, the series ran for 52 episodes ("chapters"), separated into four seasons ("books"), from April 14, 2012, to December 19, 2014. It has been continued as a comic book series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korra</span> Title character of The Legend of Korra

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokka</span> Character in Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra

Sokka is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Jack DeSena in the original series and by Chris Hardwick in the sequel series. He is a warrior of the Water Tribe and the son of Chief Hakoda and Kya. In the live-action film adaptation, he is portrayed by Jackson Rathbone, while in the live-action television series adaptation, he is portrayed by Ian Ousley.

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Tenzin is a major character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, which aired from 2012 to 2014. The character and the series, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. He is voiced by J. K. Simmons. Tenzin's father, Aang, was the Avatar who preceded Korra and kept world peace by preventing the Fire Nation from taking over the world during the Hundred Year War, which occurred about seventy years before the beginning of The Legend of Korra. Tenzin's mother, Katara, greatly assisted Aang in his efforts to save the Earth Kingdom from destruction. Tenzin is the youngest of the three children of Aang and Katara.

<i>The Legend of Korra</i> season 3 Season of television series

Book Three: Change is the third season of the animated television series The Legend of Korra, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and consists of thirteen episodes ("chapters"), all animated by Studio Mir. The season began airing on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on June 27, 2014. After leaked episodes and following declining ratings, the series stopped airing on Nickelodeon after episode 8 on July 25, 2014. Episodes 9 to 13 of Book Three were subsequently made available on the Internet weekly through Nickelodeon's website and on digital download platforms.

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References

  1. Huff, Richard (March 12, 2010). "Testing Soap-y waters: Nickelodeon to use 'Degrassi: The Next Generation' to try out telenovelas". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
  2. Rebel Genius
  3. "'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Live-Action Series in Works at Netflix". 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  4. "Michael Dante DiMartino on Instagram: "@bryankonietzko also wrote a statement concerning our departure. 🌊⛰🔥🌪 . . . . . . #avatar #avatarthelastairbender #michaeldantedimartino #legendofKorra #avataraang #avatarkorra #avatarfandom #fantasytvseries #korra #uncleiroh #iroh #stoicphilosophy #irohquotes"". Archived from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  5. D'Alessandro, Anthony (2022-11-10). "Paramount Sets Dates For New 'SpongeBob' & 'Aang Avatar' Animated Movies". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  6. Rubin, Rebecca (2024-04-18). "'Aang: The Last Airbender' Delayed to 2026, 'Transformers One' Moves Back a Week". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. Galuppo, Mia (2022-06-15). "Three 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Films Set at Paramount, Nickelodeon". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  8. DiMartino, Michael (April 29, 2012). "Heart of Art: Career of animator for 'Last Airbender' and 'Legend of Korra' was nurtured in Vermont". The Burlington Free Press . Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  9. "Nickelodeon Establishes Avatar Studios, Brand-New Content Division Devoted to Expanding the World of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra". Paramount Global. February 21, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.