'Akira' appears to be one of those forever-in-development projects since talks emerged of a live-action adaptation last 2008. Several directors and screenwriters had been pegged for the film through the years and its development had been cut off and restarted in a seemingly cyclic eternity. However recent reports tagged Leonardo DiCaprio and Andrew Lazar as producers for the upcoming film while Jaume Collet-Serra is set to take up the directing role.
According to Movie Pilot, the 1988 animated big-screen adaptation based on the Japanese comic book series of the same name turned out to be a cult classic favorite despite it not following the comic's story line fully. It introduced the main characters Shotaro Kaneda, the leader of a local gang, and his friend Tetsuo Shima who possesses the same psychic abilities as a boy named Akira. Akira caused the destruction of Tokyo leading to the main setting in post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo.
Many Hollywood A-listers had been speculated to play the iconic Kaneda including Michael Fassbender, Justin Timberlake and Chris Pine. Tetsuo's character was also linked to big names including Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy.
Although development was cut short a while back, Warner Bros. decided to pick up where it left off, according to The Hollywood Reporter. DiCaprio and Lazar are still on board as producers while Marco J. Ramirez, the man behind the pen for Netflix's 'Daredevil' will write the script. Director Jaume Collet-Serra, known for his work on 'Unknown', 'Run All Night' and 'Orphan', was previously tagged as the film's director when Warner Bros. pulled out because of budget and casting constraints.
However, an article by Screen Crush hinted that Collet-Serra may be back on again after being tasked to pare down the budget to $60 million - half of what was originally intended. It was also reported that settings may be switched from Japan to New York and replacements may be made with low-budget directors.
The first English version of the comic books was published under Marvel's Epic Comics. The series is set against a dystopian cyberpunk background of futuristic Neo-Tokyo, a new city built on the artificial island called Tokyo Bay, a city tormented by gang violence and anti-government radicals. Its story revolves around destructive psychic abilities, corruption and power. The 1988 animated film version focused more on the last half of the manga series and received international critical acclaim.
'Akira' is an upcoming live-action adaptation for the successful Japanese manga series by writer-illustrator Katsuhiro Otomo
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