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Rumor: Live-Action Remake of Akira in the Works?!
October 30, 2007
Source: Bloody-Disgusting.com
by Alex Billington
One genre of film that always gets overlooked with mainstream press is anime. I don't mean a small Inuyasha movie for the fans, I mean good full-featured anime like Paprika that was in theaters last year or Hayao Miyazaki films. One of my all-time favorite animes that is also regarded as one of the greatest anime movies of all time is Akira. Most of you probably don't even know anything about it, but that's not the point. The good news is that a rumor has popped up over at Bloody-Disgusting.com (via our friends at FilmJunk) claiming that a live-action remake of Akira is in the works at Warner Brothers.
A live-action remake of Akira has been in the works for quite a while, originally appearing in 2003 with James Robinson writing and Steven Norrington directing. That never ended up going anywhere, but this latest rumor claims that Warner Brothers is trying to start it back up with Irish director Ruairi Robinson. I'm not sure where the struggle is, whether it's with the script, the budget, the idea to begin with, or most likely with licensing. Either way, this is one of the most exciting rumors to come from the anime genre in quite a while.
For those of you who don't know anything about Akira, the one thing you need to know is that it would make an awesome live-action movie. The problem is that it's so long and so extravagant that it would probably end up with a budget of at least $150 million. Not only are there chases with futuristic motorcycles but also the entire ending fight and scene would cost excessive amounts to live up to the anime.
Akira is a 1988 Japanese anime film that was originally based on a manga. Kaneda is a bike gang leader whose close friend Tetsuo gets involved in a government secret project known as Akira. On his way to save Tetsuo, Kaneda runs into a group of anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader. The confrontation sparks off Tetsuo's supernatural power leading to bloody death, a coup attempt and the final battle in Tokyo Olympiad where Akira's secrets were buried 30 years ago.
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Reader Feedback - 11 Comments »
1
Please.. Please.. Hollywood.. leave this movie alone! Yes the ability with CGI and Directing is here.. but DO NOT ruin a good thing.. Im praying for this not to happen!
Leave AKIRA alone!
Thanks First Showing.
Ryan
Ryan McCarthy on Oct 30, 2007
2
I actually just watched this movie in HD the other day thanks to the Xbox Live Marketplace. My brother had never seen it before, so I showed it to him, and he loved it.
Kail on Oct 30, 2007
3
I love anime, more than normal shows even. Akira happens to be the show that brought the fascination upon me. The japanese can do some damn good anime-to-live-action conversions but I don't know how faithful a hollywood one would be. Hopefully they don't mess it up, it would make me want to cry.
God this movie is good on Oct 31, 2007
4
AKIRA LIVE ACTION AND NINJA SCROLL MOVIE NEWS.
Warner Bros is bringing Akira to big screen and new director Ruairi Robinson will helm the project,
the plot will be set in a futurastic world of man Tetsuo gets involved in the secret goverment known as Akira.No word on cast yet.
Threshold Entertainment's Larry Kasanoff has the rights to Ninja Scroll from Madhouse in 2002 and it
still in development and Kasanoff is working on Mortal Kombat movie remake.
Ninja Scroll story centers a ninja for named Jubei who joins a girl Kagero who fight against the evil eight devils of Kimon.
Threshold's special effects company Threshold Digital Research Labs will work on special effects
for the film and their will be some techno music score in Japanese and Sean Catherine Derek
will work out the script from Madhouse.
More news on Ninja Scroll in the future.
Thank You.
BRUCE ACOSTA
AUSTRALIA.
Bruce Darren Acosta on Nov 3, 2007
5
like Alex said, the budget itself would turn away hollywood film makers…thus saving the film from the crappy adaptation 
with that said, whats the most expensive adaptation hollywood has done? The Departed?
hotmilkgt on Nov 24, 2007
6
This would make a really awesome live action flick, if the right people got attached. But I think John Woo would be good, an Hong Kong cinema directer like that, not an American director, they would screw it up. What would be the best is if they did a really long movie off the books or a few movies that make up the better story from the books. Anyway those F/X would have to be AMAZING!
Matiss Berger on Feb 21, 2008
7
In my honest opinion I think Akira should be left in the anime world. This is due to the fact it was orginaly a Japanese Manga in the first place and japanese manga does not convert to film effectively.
My respect for Leonardo will fall tremendously if he goes through with this.
Ben on Feb 29, 2008
8
how are the goni to do the tetsuo scene where he halucinates and his intestines spill out
mexico on Apr 22, 2008
9
Actually, Anime converts beautifully into film.
The Matrix was inspired by the anime Ghost in the Shell and some others as well.
But supposedly they are going to use the comic books more than the last movie for Akira.
I just hope the original vision of Akira isnt lost or trashed in the film.
Sarah on Jun 23, 2008
10
It definitely being made, by Hollywood. With white actors and actresses, of course. Nothing against white actors, but the fact that they ALWAYS remake these movies with white actors shows that Hollywood has something against Asian actors. Look what they did to Chow-Yun Fat: Replacement Killers did very well, and yet somehow they gave him smaller and smaller roles, as if they wanted him to fade away. He wasn't allowed to kiss Jodie Foster in the King and I, even though that's what happened in the musical version.
saran wrap on Jan 23, 2009
11
I think with stupidity, that's how they are gonna make the tetsuo scene with the intestines
mmm... on Feb 2, 2009