Incredibly, nearly twenty-five years have passed since a live-action adaptation of the 1988 cult hit was released.
Akira
First, it was stuck in development hell for an exceptionally long period. Although we haven\’t received many updates regarding the eagerly awaited anime adaptation, things are set to shift gears now that Academy Award-nominated producer Andrew Lazar has hinted at some encouraging and soon-to-be-revealed information.
Since its announcement way back in 2002, this fresh interpretation of Akira has changed hands among multiple directors, with the latest being an Oscar-winning filmmaker and
Thor: Ragnarok
Director Taika Waititi. Currently, Lazar, who is most recognized for things like
American Sniper
and
this month’s action movie
G20
, as shared by Johan Albrechtsen from Moovy TV, mentioned that although he cannot disclose details at this moment, he anticipates significant announcements “within the upcoming few months.”
So, I believe you should anticipate an update within the coming few months.
Akira
remains among the most acclaimed achievements in animation history, and continues to be
one of the most esteemed instances of modern Japanese anime
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, with production handled by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and screenplay penned by Otomo along with Izo Hashimoto,
Akira
is inspired by Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1982 manga with the same title. Set in a dystopian future within the ruins of Neo-Tokyo, this cyberpunk tale follows biker Kaneda as he navigates through numerous chaotic situations. His journey becomes intertwined with that of his companion Tetsuo, an adolescent whose encounter with a strange power awakens formidable telekinetic abilities. These newfound powers thrust Tetsuo into a pivotal role amidst escalating tensions that could potentially devastate the planet.
The film has greatly influenced much of the contemporary sci-fi produced in Hollywood, including works from various directors and productions.
The Matrix, Dark City, Chronicle, Looper
, and
Inception
, and honestly, it’s surprising that a live-action adaptation of the source material hasn’t been produced yet. Certainly, whether such an adaptation would be beneficial or not can still be discussed.
Is the \’Akira\’ Live-Action Film Ever Really Going to Be Made?
The live-action take on
Akira
has changed hands among various directors over the years, such as Stephen Norrington, Jaume Collet-Serra, and Justin Lin, until finally coming into the possession of
Jojo Rabbit
director Taika Waititi. Hollywood icon Leonardo DiCaprio is on board as producer, with Waititi, Michael Golamco, and Charles Yu penning the script. However, while things did seem to be moving forward, Waititi\’s return to the MCU with
Thor: Love and Thunder
resulted in
Akira
being delayed once again.
Despite all these years,
Waititi seems committed
in order to bring the film to fruition, regardless of the time it takes. Although it\’s likely that after the poor critical reception
Thor: Love and Thunder
(considered now as one of the MCU\’s least-rated films), the studio might explore new directions once more. Regardless of his previous statements asserting that he doesn’t wish to abandon his visions for
Akira
Waititi has indicated that although he intends to stay engaged with the project, it might not be his role as director.
I believe it will occur eventually. It\’s just uncertain whether I\’ll be the one to do it.
The filmmaker mentioned in 2020
The entire plan was put on pause. We continually had to postpone the deadlines, and this started overlapping with other timelines.
Thor
Dates, which remained fixed. So
Akira
Ultimately, this shift occurred two years later.\” At one point, Warner Bros. was extremely optimistic about the project finally moving forward and even set a release date of May 21, 2021, with plans to begin shooting in California in July 2019. Nonetheless, the adaptation has now been indefinitely postponed. Let’s hope that the upcoming updates expected within the next few months were worthwhile!
Source:
Moovy TV