Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the original creators of the "Avatar: The Last Airbender" animated series, are no longer involved with a planned Netflix live adaptation. The duo made the announcement in an open letter released on DiMartino's website on Wednesday morning.

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• According to the letter: "Unfortunately, things did not go as we had hoped... Productions are challenging."
• Netflix ordered a live-action version of the series -- which aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008 -- in 2018.
• The sequel series to "Avatar," "The Legend of Korra," also comes to Netflix this week.

Author and comedian Sarah Cooper, who appears in a number of viral videos in which she performs lip-synched impressions of President Trump, signed on for her first Netflix comedy special. "Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine" will be directed by Natasha Lyonne and produced by Maya Rudolph.

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• The special is expected to debut on Netflix some time this fall.
• Cooper guest-hosted "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Tuesday night.
• According to a press release, the special will include vignettes about "politics, race, gender, class, and other light subjects."
• Prior to her viral fame, Cooper was a correspondent on the CBS All Access pilot "Old News" and wrote for the animated Syfy series "Science!"

DAILY CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

YUSUF HAWKINS: STORM OVER BROOKLYN: Feature documentary about the killing of Black 16-year-old Yusuf Hawkins by a group of white teens in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1989. In addition to exploring the incident itself, the film looks at the impact it had Hawkins' own family and friends, and the surrounding community. [HBO]

(UN)WELL: Investigative docuseries probing beauty and wellness trends -- including apitherapy, ayahuasca, extreme fasting, and essential oils -- with a critical eye. [Netflix]

SMILE DOWN THE RUNWAY: Japanese anime series, based on the manga by Kotoba Inoya, about an aspiring model who joins forces with a nerdy but talented young designer. [Hulu]

Seth MacFarlane will co-write and produce the drama series "The Winds of War," based on novels by author Herman Wouk, for NBCUniversal. The series will be shopped around to multiple networks and streaming platforms.

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• The project will be the first under MacFarlane's new $200 million overall deal with the company.
• The "Family Guy" creator will write the scripts along with "The Alienist" scribe Seth Fisher.
• Wouk's epic saga -- which begins in 1971's "The Winds of War" and continues in 1978's "War and Remembrance" -- charts the progress of a single American family throughout the WWII era.

Nearly the full run of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki's films, released by Japan's Studio Ghibli, are available to stream right now on HBO Max. Many of these films are among the most well-known and highly-regarded of the modern era, including classics like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Spirited Away," "Kiki's Delivery Service," and "Princess Mononoke." But for a fun change, I figured it might be interesting to put the spotlight on some of the master's less-known and less frequently discussed features, including one that can still be found on Netflix, rather than HBO Max...

The Broadway production "Diana: A True Musical Story" -- which missed its scheduled March 31 opening due to the pandemic -- will be recorded without an audience and streamed on Netflix. The show relates the life story of the British princess and stars Jeanna de Waal as Diana and Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles.

More:

• "Diana" began previews on March 2.
• The show will be recorded at an otherwise-empty Longacre Theater next month.
• It's expected to debut on Netflix in "early 2021."
• The musical will still open on Broadway, with a planned May 25, 2021 premiere.

Apple will produce an animated series based on the classic children's book "Harriet the Spy," starring Beanie Feldstein in the title role. Jane Lynch and Lacey Chabert will co-star as Harriet's nanny, Ole Golly, and her classmate Marion Hawthorne, respectively.

• Author Louise Fitzhugh's book follows an independent and curious 11-year-old who dreams of becoming a writer, and turns to spycraft to learn more about people and the world.
• Like the book, the animated series will be set in 1960s New York City.
• "The Adventures of Pete & Pete" co-creator Will McRobb will write and produce the series.
• Nickelodeon produced a feature film based on the book in 1996 starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell. [It's now streaming on Prime Video.]

HBO and Sky will team for the U.K. comedy-horror series "The Baby," from co-creators Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer. The story concerns a 38-year-old who finds herself unexpectedly caring for a strange infant with manipulative and violent powers.

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• According to Robins-Grace and Gaymer, the show confronts "the powerful anxiety around the question of whether or not to have children."
• HBO, Sky, and production company SISTER previously collaborated on "Chernobyl."

Actor Ruby Rose spoke with Entertainment Weekly about her decision to leave the CW superhero series "Batwoman" after a single season. Rose explained that a back injury sustained in an on-set accident in 2019 as well as the time for personal reflection provided by quarantine both contributed to her decision.

More:

• Rose will be replaced in Season 2 by newcome Javicia Leslie, who will portray a new Batwoman, named Ryan Wilder.
• Rose indicated that she would be willing to return to TV for a future series, after she fully recovers from her back surgery.

QUICK HITS

• Fox News will launch an international live-streaming outlet in September.
• ChaiFlicks, a new streaming service dedicated to Jewish-themed and Israeli programming, launched in North America on Wednesday.
• Amazon Studios and STX may produce a sequel to the Dave Bautista comedy "My Spy," after the first film proved a hit on Prime Video.
• Peacock ordered a first season of the YA mystery drama series "One of Us is Lying," from "Elite" co-creator Darío Madrona.
• HBO is developing a drama series based on the Polish film "The Hater," from acclaimed director Jan Komasa. [It's currently available to stream on Netflix.]
• Hans Zimmer turned the familiar Netflix "ta-dum" intro into an extended orchestral theme.
• The fittest athletes in the world swear by CBD. See what they're using here.*

*This is sponsored content.