Akira

[Krakalakachkn]

James Franco is reportedly in talks to star as Kaneda in the live-action Hollywood adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s six-volume cyberpunk manga "Akira" says JustJared.

 

The original's story was set in a neon-lit futuristic post-nuclear war "New Tokyo" in 2019. Kaneda is a bike gang leader whose close friend Tetsuo gets involved in a secret government project known as Akira. Trying to save him, Kaneda runs into anti-government activists, corrupt politicians, irresponsible scientists and a despotic military leader.

 

The confrontation sparks off Tetsuo's supernatural power leading to not only death but the uncovering of the truth about Akira that the government tried to bury three decades before. The story was previously adapted into a 1988 anime film which is considered a classic of the genre. This version plans to stick close to the original manga and could spread the story across several films.

 

Albert Hughes ("The Book of Eli") directs from a script that at last report was being worked on by Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus ("Iron Man"). The catch with this news is that Franco is presently being offered every role under the sun it seems, so there's zero guarantee he'll be any part of this.

[Krakalakachkn]

 

Eight names have emerged as potential candidates for the two male lead roles in the live-action Hollywood adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s six-volume cyberpunk manga "Akira" says Deadline.

 

Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy are up for the role of Tetsuo, while Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix are all up for Kaneda. All eight actors have been given a copy of the script.

 

The story is set in a neon-lit futuristic post-nuclear war "New Manhattan" (the original was set in 'New Tokyo' in 2019). Kaneda is a bike gang leader whose close friend Tetsuo gets involved in a secret government project known as Akira. Trying to save him, Kaneda runs into anti-government activists, corrupt politicians, irresponsible scientists and a despotic military leader.

 

The confrontation sparks off Tetsuo's supernatural power leading to not only death but the uncovering of the truth about Akira that the government tried to bury three decades before. The story was previously adapted into a 1988 anime film which is considered a classic of the genre. This version plans to stick close to the original manga and will spread the story across two films.

 

Albert Hughes ("The Book of Eli") directs from a script which Steve Kloves is currently polishing and is expected to deliver to the studio in readiness for an August start-of-shooting. Andrew Lazar, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran are producing.

[ineedfourberfs]

...Why two films?

 

Also, Justin Timberlake as Kaneda?

[Krakalakachkn]

Update

 

 

When both star Keanu Reeves and directed Albert Hughes departed the project in May, many thought that the live-action remake of anime cult classic "Akira" at Warner Bros. Pictures had essentially died.

 

Indeed, for the past two months there's been dead silence about the project aside from some comments the other week from designer Chris Weston about his work on the new incarnation of Kaneda's iconic crimson motorbike.

 

Today however the studio is still keenly pursuing the project and Variety reports they have hired Spanish helmer Jaume Collet-Serra ("Orphan," "Unknown") to direct the film which is now being "re-envisioned as a $90 million tentpole". Set in New Manhattan, the story follows the leader of a biker gang who saves his friend from a medical experiment.

 

How the studio intends to keep production costs that low for such an ambitious project is the big question this article raises. They most recently hired "Harry Potter" film adapter Steve Kloves to pen the script based on Katsuhiro Otomo's original manga.

 

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Andrew Lazar are producing.

[Emperor]

A new synopsis sent out to casting agents has revealed that Jaume Collet-Serra‘s live-action, English-language "Akira" remake is, aside from the locale and nationality changes, going to be surprisingly similar to its Japanese animated originator. Geek Tyrant has posted the plot description, here's a copy:

 

"Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.

 

Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.

 

Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago."

 

Aside from Kaneda being a bar owner rather than a teen biker, it's otherwise relatively familiar. Of course this is a short synopsis that skips on many details so it'll still be a while before we get a full idea of the extent of the changes.

[Karasayl]

The concept of this remake confuses and angers me....much worse than the english remake of Oldboy.

[reyler]

HAHA DIE

 

Warner Bros. Pictures is shutting down its "Akira" remake again due to casting and budgetary issues says Heat Vision

 

Production offices in Vancouver are being closed with crew members apparently told to stop working and go home.

 

Producers Jennifer Kiloran Davisson and Andrew Lazar will work with director Jaume Collet-Serra for the next two weeks to iron out the script. Should that not work out, the whole project could be scrapped altogether.

 

This live-action remake of the classic 80's anime struggled in development hell for years with numerous incarnations and budgetary cutbacks along the way.

 

This would technically mark its fourth so called 'death', each time though it has come back. In order to do that this time though, its already lean $90 million budget will have to be cut down significantly further - somewhere more around the $60-70 million mark.

 

In fact its becoming a common thing for various Warner-related projects in the works with word this time last month the studio shut down its "Arthur and Lancelot" while regular cohort Legendary Pictures put a hold on "Paradise Lost" - in both cases it was due to budgetary issues.

[fearless-freak]

i dont think we'll ever see this because of budgetary reasons i think it'd cost way to much, its like when they said they wanted to do an american version of Evangelion and we all know most live action films based on anime dont do well take Guyver: Mutronics for example, but me i'm waiting to see how this live action version of Bubblegum Crisis is going to turn out