After The Walking Dead and Invincible, Steven Yeun Joins Another Beloved Franchise

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Summary

  • Steven Yeun joins the animated Aang Avatar movie in an undisclosed character.
  • Yeun’s rising star is evident from his varied roles in films and voice acting in different projects.
  • The Avatar film, directed by Lauren Montgomery and William Mata, will be released on January 30, 2026.

The acting career of Steven Yeun, best known for his role in “The Walking Dead,” is on the rise as he signs up for another popular series.

Steven Yeun, an actor of Korean and American descent, gained widespread recognition for his role as Glenn Rhee in AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” Adored by fans for his innocence, compassion, and courage, his heart-wrenching demise on the show left many mourning. Beyond the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama, Yeun has appeared in multiple series and films, such as “Burning” (2018), “Minari” (2020), “Nope” (2022), Netflix’s “Beef” (2023) where he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, and Amazon Prime’s “Invincible,” in which he voices the main character Mark Grayson. Recently confirmed, Yeun is set to join another popular franchise as well.

As a passionate fan of animated films, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined the cast of the upcoming Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ untitled Avatar film based on Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender! Details about my character are still under wraps, but I’m excited to be joining an already stellar lineup that includes Dave Bautista, Eric Nam, Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Román Zaragoza. Lauren Montgomery and William Mata will co-direct the film, while Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (the creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender), Maryann Garger, and Latifa Ouaou are producing it. Interestingly enough, I’m not a stranger to the Airbender universe, as I voiced Wan, the first Avatar, in The Legend of Kora!

It’s no wonder that Yeun’s stardom has been on the rise; he’s an exceptional talent. In 2020, he was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category for his performance in “Minari.” However, Anthony Hopkins clinched the award over him and other nominees – Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), and Gary Oldman (“Mank”) – for his remarkable portrayal of a dementia-stricken elderly man in “The Father.” Yeun’s recent projects include Bong Joon Ho’s comedy science fiction film, “Mickey 17,” alongside stars like Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Ackie, and Toni Collette. He also filmed Netflix’s thriller, “RIP,” with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and others. Currently, he’s working on another Netflix project, “Animal,” directed by Affleck. Previously, Yeun was set to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Thunderbolts.” However, due to a scheduling conflict caused by the SAF-AFTRA strike, he had to withdraw from the project. Despite this, he remains open to joining a future Marvel movie. Although his role in the upcoming MCU blockbuster wasn’t confirmed, there were whispers that Yeun was supposed to portray Robert “Bob” Reynolds, a character whose powers are similar to Superman from DC Comics.

As a devoted fan, I can confidently say that Simu Liu is an exceptional talent both in front of and behind the camera. It’s no real shocker that he’s been cast in the upcoming Avatar film. His resume boasts numerous voice-acting projects. Apart from voicing Mark Grayson in Invincible, he also lent his voice to Keith in Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016–2018), Steve Palchuk in Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (2016–2018), and Speckle in Tuca & Bertie (2019–2022). The characters Liu voices are diverse –– Mark Grayson is a teen grappling with his father’s legacy and superpowers; Steve is cocky yet heroic; and Speckle is a fun and supportive bird character. This diversity only highlights how adaptable Liu is in bringing these roles to life. Needless to say, he’ll undoubtedly shine in whatever role he takes on.

The Aang Avatar film is slated for release on January 30, 2026.

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2025-03-28 19:57