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• James Cameron
• M Night Shyamalan

Shyamalan announces his own 'Avatar'

M Night is gearing up for a 'clash of the titles' with James Cameron.

Jan  9 2007

Typical – you wait for a project called 'Avatar' to come along, and then two arrive at once! Hot on the heels of the announcement that James Cameron's 'Avatar' will go into production at 20th Century Fox in April, M Night Shyamalan has revealed plans to make a film entitled 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' for Paramount.

Based on Nickelodeon's hit cartoon series, Shyamalan will write, produce and direct the live-action feature which, according to Variety, is set 'in an Asian-influenced fantasy world permeated by martial arts and magic' and follows the adventures of 'the successor to a long line of Avatars who must put aside his irresponsible ways and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.'

It will be the first time Shyamalan has made a film based on someone else's idea (in this case Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko), though after the dramatic misfire of 'Lady in the Water' last year, that might not be a bad thing.

The writer-director has signed a three-picture deal with Paramount, with hopes that the film will be the first in a kids franchise.

However, it sounds like the clash of the titles has only just begun, with Paramount claiming to have registered the 'Avatar' name with the Motion Picture Association of America and a Fox representative telling Variety 'We own the movie title 'Avatar'. There won't be another film called 'Avatar' coming out from anyplace.' Sounds like it could be a 'titanic' battle, so more news on this one as and when it breaks.