There has been rumor of this happening for awhile now. I have mixed feelings overall. What I don't care for is the proposed Americanization of the plot. A major undertone in the entire manga/anime was nuclear war. The setting in Japan gave an intimate feeling while simultaneously envoking the hauntings of the past. It was extremely important to the entire concept of Akira.
I am happy to see DiCaprio's studio attached. I think they will put forth an honest effort to make the movie both epic and keeping with the spirit of the original. Last year, DiCaprio lost the bidding war for the rights to World War Z to Brad Pitt's production company, but I consider this a good consolidation prize. If done right, this could be an amazing film.
Anime & manga classic "Akira" is finally getting the American live-action feature film treatment at Warner Bros. Pictures says the trades.
Leonardo DiCaprio and his Appian Way company will produce the new version which moves the action to "New Manhattan," a city rebuilt by Japanese money after being destroyed 31 years earlier.
"Akira" originated in 1988 as a manga and then as an acclaimed animated film. Its mature themes and cutting-edge animation paved the way for anime appreciation in Western pop culture.
The original story was set in a neon-lit futuristic post-nuclear war "New Tokyo" in 2019 where a teen biker gang member is subjected to a government experiment which unleashes his latent powers. The gang's leader must find a way to stop the ensuing swathe of destruction.
Directors Stephen Norrington and Pitof were previously attached to the film which never got off the ground in the past. Warners let the rights lapse, but picked them up again when director Ruairi Robinson ("The Silent City") approached them with the idea of doing the story as a two-part epic.
Gary Whitta is writing the new adaptations, each of which will based on three volumes of the six-volume original graphic novel. A Summer 2009 release is being targeted for the first film.
As much as I love the manga, and appreciate what the anime accomplished artistically...it's just not possible to make a single movie that really encompasses Akira IMO. I don't care if it's animated or not and I definitely do not like the setting change, but I'll probably still go see it. It would be cool if they kept some of the original soundtrack or a derivitave (especially the thumping drumtrack during the bike scenes), but got rid of the japanese "choir" stuff that grates the ears.
I have always been a fan of Anime with Akira being my favorite anime movie of all time.
Its funny that Leo should be helping in this, because about 3 years ago i had heard that he was actually interested in a live action Dragonball Z movie, which i laughed about. I personally don't think this movie will be able to portray the anime as it was intended, but i will still see it regardless.
Quick note.. Anyone seen Kanye Wests Strong video? It has scenes from Akira played out as if Kanye was Tetsuo.
