I’ve been saying for well over a decade that Akira was never going to happen at Warner Bros., and now today it’s finally canceled. THR reports that Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s groundbreaking manga and animated film is dead at the studio, as it has given up control of the rights.
Akira, about a Neo-Tokyo biker gang member who is experimented on the government, unleashing devastating telekinetic powers that ravage the city, will revert back to Japanese publisher Kodansha. Warner Bros., along with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way banner, have been developing a live-action film for decades. Seriously, this was one of the most written-about projects when our little blog began in 2008.
Waititi has been attached for years, but has never gotten anywhere close to shooting it. He expressed a desire to cast Japanese actors or those with Japanese backgrounds, which is better than when Keanu Reeves, Dane DeHaan, and Michael Pitt were sought to star.
Other directors who had a cup of coffee while considering Akira include Jaume Collet-Serra, Albert Hughes, Stephen Norrington, Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, and George Miller. On the plus side, Peele did get to use the iconic motorcycle slide scene in Nope.
So what happens now? This is unlikely to be the end of the story. Akira is a massive undertaking but is also incredibly popular, with potential for a live-action movie to be a gigantic hit. However, interpreting that very Japan-specific story for American audiences will be tough. Hopefully, it stays in the hands of Japanese filmmakers and stars who can do it the justice it deserves.
