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The story, which began as a children's cartoon series, revolves around four tribes with the ability to manipulate water, earth, fire or air. The protagonist is Aang, a young boy who fights to save the world from the Fire Nation.
Speaking to Empire, Shyamalan said: "Buddhist and Hindu philosophies run through the stuff. When I realised that is what it was, it really drew me as the template for putting storytelling on a new level. There is a kind of thread that connects Star Wars and The Matrix - the first one. That same thread is in this story, about a forgotten belief system, or the illusion of the world now."
Shyamalan added that he didn't want to use "special effects for the sake of special effects" but admitted that the films will be visually striking.
"Obviously [there will be] some breathtaking visual effects," the director said. "Just imagine if you saw a little girl bending water out of a glass into the air as an extension of her own personal discipline."
Shyamalan's next film, ecological thriller The Happening, is released on June 13.
More: M Night Shyamalan, Movies
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