Live-Action AKIRA v.2 (Set for 2021 Release; Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi to Direct)

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Update: May 24, 2019

AKIRA Live-Action Movie Set for 2021 Release; Taika Waititi Confirmed as Director

Taika Waititi's Akira now has a release date. The adaptation of the classic manga will open May 21, 2021, Warner Bros. announced Friday. Akira is set to open opposite Lionsgate's John Wick: Chapter 4. Earlier this week, Warner Bros. moved its animated movie DC Super Pets off of the weekend, pushing it back a year to 2022.

Akira began life as a manga in 1982, with writer-artist Katsuhiro Otomo's cyberpunk series running through 1990. Otomo adapted the property as an anime feature in 1988. Set in postapocalyptic Tokyo, the original story revolves around a teen, Tetsuo, who discovers he has powerful telekinetic abilities that threaten the world. Once a member of a biker gang, the only person who seems to be able to stop the all-powerful and dangerous teen is his childhood friend and gang leader, Kaneda. The 1988 film is a pop culture staple and brought anime to a much wider audience in the U.S. Akira has been referenced in numerous TV shows and movies, including South Park.

A live-action Akira has long been discussed in Hollywood. Back in 2012, a version that would have starred Garrett Hedlund was shelved, with various filmmakers coming and going on the project that would have been an Americanized version of the story. Waititi is expected to go a more authentic route, stating back in 2017 that he would want to cast Asian actors in the roles.

Waititi has the dark comedy Jojo Rabbit due out Oct. 18. He is also among the directors who have helmed episodes for the Star Wars streaming series The Mandalorian, which debuts in November.

Leonardo DiCaprio is producing Akira though his Appian Way along with Andrew Lazar.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/akira-movie-release-date-set-sets-may-2021-1213499

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Update: September 19, 2017

THOR: RAGNAROK's Taika Waititi in Talks to Direct AKIRA for Warner Bros.

Akira is revving back up, with Warner Bros negotiating with Taika Waititi, the New Zealand-born director and actor who helmed Thor: Ragnarok.

Pic is a live action version of anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo’s 6-volume graphic novel. The story takes place in the rebuilt New Manhattan where a leader of a biker gang saves his friend from a medical experiment. Mad Chance’s Lazar is producing with Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson.

The picture has been a big priority since Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures acquired it for 7-figures from manga publisher Kodansha. The intention has always been to make 2 films, each covering 3 books in the series. Akira was first adapted for the screen in 1988.

The picture got close several times. Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Book of Eli scribe Gary Whitta wrote a script which originally had Ruairi Robinson aboard to direct. The Hughes Brothers and Jaume Collet-Serra were among the filmmakers who sparked to it. It got closest to a start date several years ago, until it closed the Vancouver production office, the studio let lapse test options deals it had with Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt,. who had been competing for the lead role of Tetsuo, and were going to star alongside Garrett Hedlund, Kristin Stewart, and potentially Ken Watanabe and Helena Bonham Carter. It halted.

Waititi’s booked next to direct Jojo Rabbit, a WWII dramedy that is set up at Fox Searchlight with a spring start date. Waititi wrote the script.

‘Akira’ Back? ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Helmer Taika Waititi In Talks

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Update: March 30, 2017

GET OUT's Jordan Peele in Talks with Warner Bros. to Direct AKIRA Movie

On last week’s Meet the Movie Press, a rumor was passed that Daniel Espinosa and David F. Sandberg were in the running to direct the live-action Akira movie for Warner Bros. but here on the ground at CinemaCon that discussion has shifted, with insiders saying the studio is moving aggressively to lock in Jordan Peele to direct coming off the mega-success of Get Out.

Warner Bros. has been enamored with Peele ever since Get Out opened to big business and sparked a cultural conversation. At one point, The Tracking Board thought the studio was going to ask him to direct The Flash. Who knows? They still could! But The Tracking Board says Akira is the WB project they’re currently discussing with Peele, and the talks have apparently been encouraging.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way is producing Akira with Andrew Lazar (American Sniper). Marco Ramirez (Netflix’s Daredevil) wrote the most recent draft of the script, though it’s expected that Peele would do his own pass should he close a deal.

Warner Bros. has struggled for years to gets its live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s classic manga off the ground, and the property has languished in development to fans’ dismay. The film nearly went into production several years ago with Jaume Collet-Serra directing Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart, but the plug was pulled at the last minute.

Peele’s directorial debut Get Out has grossed more than $150 million on a reported budget of less than $5 million. Insiders say he’s refreshingly unpredictable and could always decide to stick with making socially-conscious genre films that give him more creative freedom for the time being, but the feeling within the industry is he’s ready to make the big-budget leap now.

Hot Off 'Get Out,' Jordan Peele is Being Courted to Direct 'Akira' for Warner Bros. (Exclusive)
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Update: June 26, 2016

Rumor: Warner Bros. Wants FAST FIVE's Justin Lin to Direct AKIRA Movie

In a recent appearance on Meet the Movie Press (via ScreenRant), The Wrap reporter Jeff Sneider revealed that Warner Bros. is actively courting Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond, Fast Five) to sign on to direct Akira. Even though Akira hails from Japan and Lin is a Taiwanese American, surely having a filmmaker with an Asian background at the helm of this film would satisfy a lot of fans out there.

Keep in mind that since this is a story Sneider chose to reveal on Meet the Movie Press as opposed to an official trade story means that it might not be solid enough to actually come to fruition. However, he does note that with Lin invested in getting Space Jam 2 with LeBron James off the ground, Warner Bros. may be more willing to let him direct that project if he helps the studio out by directing Akira.

For now, take this information with a grain of salt. Justin Lin has plenty of projects at his disposal, and he may have even more if Star Trek Beyond turns out to be a hit. Let’s not forget that Vin Diesel wants him to return to Fast and Furious for the last film in the franchise.

Warner Bros. Wants 'Star Trek Beyond' Director Justin Lin to Helm the Live-Action ‘Akira’ Adaptation
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Update: October 5, 2015

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Director George Miller Turned Down AKIRA Movie

Mad Max: Fury Road director George Miller has turned down helming the live-action Akira film. Miller told Yahoo! Movies that while he was in talks for the Warner Bros. movie, he is no longer involved with the project. "There was talk of it," he said, "But I’ve got so many things on my dance card, I don’t have the time to do everything."

He also debunked reports that he'd cited Akira as an influence on Fury Road. "I don't know where that came from," he said. "I’m a huge fan of anime and the precision of that and to some degree Manga, even though I don’t read Japanese, but just the aesthetic of it. So Akira might have been one of the many movies but it certainly wasn’t one that directly influenced Mad Max."

A live-action version of Akira has been in development for years. Leonardo DiCaprio is attached to produce, Daredevil showrunner Marco J. Ramirez is penning the script, and we recently heard rumors that Christopher Nolan may direct.

'Mad Max: Fury Road' Director George Miller Turned Down Live-Action 'Akira' Movie
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Update: September 14, 2015

Rumor: AKIRA Planned as a Trilogy with Christopher Nolan Involved

Akira is one of those on again, off again projects that has haunted Hollywood for years. Word that Warner Bros. had rights to adapt Katsuhiro Otomo's classic manga and anime first broke in 2002, and news about the movie has faded in and out occasionally ever since. Since then, it's been announced that Akira's still happening with the movie being handled by Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way, and Sons of Anarchy screenwriter Marco J. Ramirez penning the script.

Den of Geek has now heard from a source close to Warner Bros. that the studio is planning to make a trilogy of films based on Akira. Most intriguingly of all, the site is told that Christopher Nolan has met with a previously attached filmmaker within the past three months to talk about the project. Jaume Collet-Serra is no longer involved with Akira, which chimes with a story by The Hollywood Reporter back in June.

It was recently announced that Nolan's next film is out in July 2017. As ever, it's a project shrouded in secrecy. Could that film be Akira? It's a far-fetched notion, perhaps, but its positioning as a summer film certainly suggests that Nolan has something major in store, and a big-budget adaptation of Akira could fit that bill. And while Nolan has the kind of industry clout to make just about anything he wants, his prior relationship with Warner - and his history with Leonardo DiCaprio on Inception - might add weight to the Akira theory. On the other hand, it could be that Nolan's involved as a producer rather than director, as he was on Man of Steel.

Warner Bros. Planning Akira as a Trilogy with Christopher Nolan Possibly Involved?

 

[Thunderflash500]

He's not the director it deserves. But he's the director it needs.

 

[bjjHERRERA]

 

[Schoolboy Q]

I think Nolan is pretty overrated and the only movie I really enjoyed that he directed was Batman Begins. Hope he stays far away from Akira.

 

[JosephDredd]

Man, Nolan would be pretty good on Akira. It's such a sprawling epic and so weird that I don't know if any director really suits it.

 

[mime]

I don't see the need to remake Akira, the animated original still holds up incredibly well. Also to get a mass audience they'd have to change it considerably which I guess they will since it will be a trilogy. I bet the only thing they keep is Akira, the dangerous child-prodigy type character, and they create an entirely new sci-fi world and story.

 

[milliniar]

Seeing trilogy in there makes me happy, though could be done justice in two movies.
I think Aronofsky would be better for Akira.

 

[JosephDredd]

I don't see the need to remake Akira, the animated original still holds up incredibly well. Also to get a mass audience they'd have to change it considerably which I guess they will since it will be a trilogy. I bet the only thing they keep is Akira, the dangerous child-prodigy type character, and they create an entirely new sci-fi world and story.

The original manga was 37 THICK volumes of gorgeous art and unfolding drama. There is enough material for several trilogies. I was astounded that Otomo was able to shave the story down to the length of a single movie and still have it of such high quality.

 

[mime]

The original manga was 37 THICK volumes of gorgeous art and unfolding drama. There is enough material for several trilogies. I was astounded that Otomo was able to shave the story down to the length of a single movie and still have it of such high quality.

Yeah I remember reading some of those as a kid but I don't think it is accessible to the mainstream audience which is why I expect major changes. If Nolan is involved I expect it to be something like Inception with more sci-fi elements.

The art was beautiful in those wasn't it though. I had the American color versions from Epic. I thought they did a good job with the colors too. I wish Otomo did more work.

 

[BornOnMonday]

 

[Snubnoze707]

I need to get a blu ray of the original. I loved this movie when I was a kid. Watched the VHS 100 times.

 

[Strychnine]

I hope that it turns out well. It's such a classic film.

 

[Shokushu Goukan]

He's not the director it deserves. But he's the director it needs.

I think Del Torro would be better. Or I might get hate but Rodriguez would be good too. If Nolan made it, it would have to substantially deviate from the original in that it would have to be about Identity which is Nolan's strong suit.

 

[JDragon]

i think nolan is pretty overrated and the only movie i really enjoyed that he directed was batman begins. Hope he stays far away from akira.

lol

 

[Tank_Kam]

I could see this happening, especially since DiCaprio wanted to direct and star in it for a long time. Could see them doing some sort of collabo here.

 

[Peteyandjia]

Nolan is too soft for Akira. It requires a vindictive eye like Fincher's.

 

[Shokushu Goukan]

I think Nolan is pretty overrated and the only movie I really enjoyed that he directed was Batman Begins. Hope he stays far away from Akira.

Did the back to school clothes your mommy bought you from JC Penney fit aight?

 

[CubicleGangster]

Please, no. Dear god no.