After years of trying Warner Brothers have apparently found a combination of script, budget and director that they like and have given the greenlight to their feature version of Akira.
Originally beginning life as a two film project to be directed by Ruairi Robinson, who was later replaced by Albert Hughes, the project is now in the hands of Jaume Collet-Serra with a modest - by event film standards - budget of ninety million dollars. Somewhere in the Hughes era WB simply dropped any language about Akira spanning two films that it's going to be one and out unless this version proves majorly successful.
This new version, though compressed, appears to be at least somewhat based on Robinson's earlier take, however, with the story transposed from Japan into a futuristic New Manhattan with the biker gangs and psychokinetic powers of Katsuhiro Otomo's original preserved. Otomo will receive what is surely a lip-service Executive Producer credit on the film with the actual producing duties falling to Leonardo DiCaprio (really), Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Andrew Lazar. Production is scheduled to start in late February or early March so start speculating now on who may fill the Tetsuo and Kaneda roles.
Originally beginning life as a two film project to be directed by Ruairi Robinson, who was later replaced by Albert Hughes, the project is now in the hands of Jaume Collet-Serra with a modest - by event film standards - budget of ninety million dollars. Somewhere in the Hughes era WB simply dropped any language about Akira spanning two films that it's going to be one and out unless this version proves majorly successful.
This new version, though compressed, appears to be at least somewhat based on Robinson's earlier take, however, with the story transposed from Japan into a futuristic New Manhattan with the biker gangs and psychokinetic powers of Katsuhiro Otomo's original preserved. Otomo will receive what is surely a lip-service Executive Producer credit on the film with the actual producing duties falling to Leonardo DiCaprio (really), Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Andrew Lazar. Production is scheduled to start in late February or early March so start speculating now on who may fill the Tetsuo and Kaneda roles.
This will be like the Transformers movies. Very bad, but very fun to watch.
Some of the most beloved films I've seen are remakes and/or adaptations, and often on a low budget. "John Carpenter's The Thing" for example.
So I will withhold judgment until I've seen this "Akira". As for hopes, well...that's another issue.
That's a fine point Ard, but the very nature of "Who Goes There" lends itself to a fairly contained film. With everything that happens in Akira, even the film, what exactly would you focus on with 90 million?
It sounds like they're making "Firestarter" with a red motorcycle in it.
When weaving a curse on an upcoming film that offends my sensibilities, I use "Alan Moore Brand Spitting Venom®"; for when you want them to know how you really feel.
I'm guessing that Warner Bros will lose the rights if they don't get cracking on it soon? I'm sure the thinking is "If it's a hit, that will be great, if it's shit, at least it won't be a property that comes back to haunt us in the future".
The director, Jaume Collet-Serra, is the same guy who did House Of Wax (the Paris Hilton movie, remember?), Unknown, and Orphan - pretty meat and potatoes fare. To me, this signals that the studio just wants AKIRA shot and done more than anything else. Collet-Serra will get that job done - and probably under budget.
I hope Mr. Collet-Serra (or an associate of his) is aware of what this film could possibly do to his career. Mr. Collet-Serra, please understand that - like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The Spirit and The Last Airbender before it - AKIRA is one of those movies that will be going into the theaters with a serious case of what I call 'Fan Cancer'.
The level of online hatred for this project will be so great that - and this is 100% certain - it will spill out of fandom and into the mainstream dialog. Stephen Norrington (League) and Frank Miller (The Spirit) have not been in the director's chair since and do I really need to say anything about M. Night Shyamalan? You can do the deed, but there will be a price to pay, is all I'm saying.
If there's anything this project could do to staunch the inevitable gut shot that's coming - it's to get a strong Japanese American protagonist and antagonist. Yes, they will be unknowns - but the actors are out there. To draw in your midwest market, simply populate the rest of the movie with names and faces they know and trust - and then slather on the 'splosions.
Certainly the relatively small budget should allow for a little bit of control, right?
Good luck to you, Mr. Collet-Serra. Despite what I wrote, I don't believe that an altered AKIRA is impossible to do. You're just going to have to work very, very hard against incredible odds to do it!
Looks like TRON: Legacy's Garrett Hedlund is in talks to play Kaneda.
So, yeah, this is a property burial.
oh ffs!!!
leave the anime alone!!!
its brilliant as it is. why make a hollywood version for it to be such a rubbish movie!!!!!
i'll keep my fingers crossed that this never gets made!
Will be more of a re-make of the anime film or an adaptation of the manga? I read that Bonham Carter was offered the role of Lady Miyako so I could assume it would be based more on the manga.