Variety reports Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel replaced Jesse McCartney and joined the cast of M. Night Shyamalan‘s The Last Airbender, the Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films live-actioner based on a Nick TV series.
/Film highlights the plot: Patel will play 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. The film, which is the planned first in a trilogy, tells the story of Aang, 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.
Shyamalan explains his casting decision:
“Jesse had tour dates that conflicted with a boot camp I always hold on my films, and where the actors here have to train for martial arts.” Patel was “already one of the guys I was interested in. Then I saw ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ and the kid just grew in my eyes.”
It’s great that Shyamalan loved Slumdog Millionaire. I despised The Happening but this movie looks to be totally different so I’ll check it out, especially with Dev Patel being added to the cast.
The Last Airbender is scheduled for a July 2nd 2010 release. Shyamalan is planning a trilogy for the film series.
Do you still have faith in Shyamalan? Did you like Dev Patel in Slumdog Millionaire?