Jake here, with Viacom's first press release on Avatar in months!  Granted, this one is about the movie.  But still, there are some good things coming from this release.  Click the link above to read the full press release.  Here are some highlights from the presentation at the Licensing Interatinal Expo 2008:

Officials from Nick and Paramount shared the stage with writer/director M. Night Shyamalan to discuss "The Last Airbender."

Shyamalan also notes casting has begun for the first movie already, and thousands of kids have tried out.

"Shyamalan also discussed how he came to work on the Avatar film, crediting his daughter as his first introduction to the action-oriented series. "I sat down and watched four television episodes back-to-back with my kids. We were riveted. I said, 'This would make a phenomenal movie!' My wife said, 'This is the one you've been waiting for.""

And apparently, we're all "super-fans": ""We're tremendously excited about the growth potential as new audiences meet our hero in live-action form in The Last Airbender," she said. "[Nickelodeon] is developing initiatives to super-serve the show's hardcore super-fans in anticipation of The Last Airbender's premiere.""

Viacom execs hope Avatar has a long future: "Both Lesher and Moore cited the film as "one of those rare event movies that moves audiences globally and ensures the franchise a long, prosperous future.""

Also, Avatar is ready to explode, according to one Nick exec: ""We're especially optimistic about this movie's prospects given The Last Airbender's already rabid, global fan base. The Last Airbender is a living, breathing, organic brand that's poised to explode, [and] our strategy is to work with partners who want to authentically build the brand around the globe.""