The Last Airbender is a 2010 American action fantasy adventure film written, produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It is based on the first season of the 2000s Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The film stars Noah Ringer as Aang, with Dev Patel as Prince Zuko, Nicola Peltz as Katara, and Jackson Rathbone as Sokka. Development for the film began in 2007. It was produced by Nickelodeon Movies and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Premiering in New York City on June 30, 2010, it opened the following day in the rest of the country, grossing an estimated $16 million.
The film was lambasted by critics upon release, with many reviewers citing inconsistencies between the plot, screenplay, and source material as well as deriding the acting, writing, casting, and dialogue. However, some praised the visual style, James Newton Howard's soundtrack, and the performances from Dev Patel, Aasif Mandvi, and Shaun Toub. The film swept the Golden Raspberry Awards in 2010, with five "wins" including Worst Picture; the film has been considered one of the worst films ever made. Because despite the negative reviews, The Last Airbender opened in second place at the box office behind The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Produced on a $150 million budget, the film grossed $131 million domestically and $319 million worldwide. It is currently the fourth highest grossing Nickelodeon film, behind The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), and The Adventures of Tintin (2011).