Michael Dante DiMartino
Co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
Michael Dante DiMartino (born July 18, 1974) is an American animator, producer, writer, and director. Alongside Bryan Konietzko, he co-created the Nickelodeon animated series *Avatar: The Last Airbender* and its sequel, *The Legend of Korra*.
Before those shows, DiMartino spent twelve years at Film Roman, where he helped direct episodes of *King of the Hill*, *Family Guy*, and *Mission Hill*, and also made his own animated short, *Atomic Love*, which played at several major film festivals. He dedicated the penultimate episode of *Avatar: The Last Airbender* to his father’s memory.
In 2007, DiMartino and Konietzko became interested in a live-action film adaptation of *Avatar: The Last Airbender*, choosing to develop the movie instead of a fourth season—even though Nickelodeon did not order a fourth season. After the film flopped critically and commercially, the pair later expressed disappointment with the final product, though they had initially been excited about the project.
In a 2010 interview, Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami confirmed that DiMartino and Konietzko were working on a new series, *The Legend of Korra*. It premiered April 14, 2012, with 12 episodes for Book One: Air, and 14 for Book Two: Spirits, which debuted September 13, 2013, to 2.60 million U.S. viewers. Books Three (Change) and Four (Balance) each had 13 episodes.
On October 4, 2016, DiMartino released his first original novel, *Rebel Genius*. It follows 12-year-old Giacomo, who discovers a magical “Genius”—the living embodiment of an artist’s creative spirit—in a world where art is outlawed. Planned as a trilogy, Macmillan Publishers released two books before canceling the third. The series received mixed to negative reviews.
In September 2018, it was announced that Konietzko and DiMartino would executive produce and showrun Netflix’s live-action *Avatar: The Last Airbender* adaptation. On August 12, 2020, both revealed on social media that they had left the project due to creative differences with Netflix.
In February 2021, ViacomCBS announced Avatar Studios, a Nickelodeon division dedicated to new animated series and movies set in the *Avatar* universe, with DiMartino and Konietzko serving as co-chief creative officers. The studio’s first film, *Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender*, was initially set for October 10, 2025, then delayed to January 30, 2026, and later to its curren
- born
- July 18, 1974
- field
- Animation, television production, writing, directing
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- mf=51 · 1974 · 7 · 18
- Birth Place
- Shelburne, Vermont, U.S.
- Occupation
- Animator, producer, writer, director
- Education
- Rhode Island School of Design (BFA)
- Years Active
- 1993–present
- Known For
- Co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra
- Title
- Co-Chief Creative Officer, Avatar Studios
- Spouse
- Shoshana Stolove · 2014
- Children
- 2
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Before Avatar, DiMartino worked for twelve years at Film Roman, helping to direct King of the Hill, Family Guy and Mission Hill, in addition to his own animated short, Atomic Love, which was screened at a number of high-profile film festivals. The dedication to his father's memory can be seen in the penultimate episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender. In 2007, DiMartino and Konietzko became interested in developing a live action film adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, choosing to develop the film over a fourth season, even though Nickelodeon did not order a fourth season. After the critical and commercial failure of the film, the pair would later express disappointment with the final product, though they had initially been excited about the project.
In a 2010 interview the president of Nickelodeon, Cyma Zarghami, confirmed
Reader's Guide
Michael Dante DiMartino's significance lies in his co-creation of two landmark animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, which have had a lasting impact on animation and popular culture. His career trajectory—from working on established shows like King of the Hill and Family Guy to developing original, serialized animated epics—illustrates a shift in the medium toward complex storytelling. The mixed reception of his novel series Rebel Genius and the public departure from the Netflix live-action adaptation highlight the challenges of extending a creative vision across different media. The establishment of Avatar Studios in 2021, with DiMartino as co-chief creative officer, ensures that the universe he helped build will continue to expand through new animated projects, cementing his legacy as a key figure in modern animation.
Did You Know?
- DiMartino worked for twelve years at Film Roman, helping to direct King of the Hill, Family Guy, and Mission Hill.
- He released a novel titled Rebel Genius on October 4, 2016, which was intended to be a trilogy but only two books were published.
- DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko departed Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender on August 12, 2020, due to creative differences.
- He is married to Shoshana Stolove, a yoga teacher and jewelry designer who promotes New Age beliefs such as crystal healing.
More in Showrunners of animated series 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record