Singapore Man Arrested Over Avatar: The Last Airbender Leak

A 26-year-old man in Singapore was arrested after allegedly gaining unauthorized access to a media server and leaking clips from an unreleased Avatar: The Last Airbender film, titled The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender.

Police said they received a report on April 16 that extracts from the unreleased movie were circulating on social media. The project is described as the long-awaited animated sequel within the Avatar franchise.

Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department located and detained the suspect within a day of the report. He now faces charges of unauthorized access to computer material and could be jailed for up to seven years, fined as much as S$50,000 (about $40,000 USD), or both if convicted. Authorities also seized several electronic devices and recovered a copy of the film from the devices.

The arrest underscores Singapore’s stance against unauthorized access to computer systems, with police stating that anyone involved will be dealt with firmly under the law.

The leak appeared on April 12, ahead of an October 2026 release on Paramount+. It rapidly spread across social platforms, including 4Chan and X. An initial claim suggested Nickelodeon had accidentally emailed the film, though later reports pointed to another account leaking the full movie online.

The incident drew backlash from the project’s creators. Animator Julia Schoel said the crew spent years awaiting a proper celebration of the film, only to see clips circulate before its release. Background artist Anna Gong urged fans to support the official launch, praising the film’s quality and the passion invested in what she called a “truly special moment for ATLA.”