Live-action Akira movie actually, really, positively happening for reals

[Great Rumbler]

The Variety entertainment trade magazine is reporting on Wednesday that Warner Bros. has green-lit the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira manga. Production on what Variety describes as a "potential tentpole project" is set to begin in late February or early March. (A "tentpole" franchise is a property which will, in theory, support a studio financially for much of a particular movie season.)

According to Variety, the film's current story goes as follows: "Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments."

Variety had reported in July that Warner hired director Jaume Collett-Serra (Unknown, Orphan, House of Wax) to direct the film, which was "being reenvisioned as a $90 million" blockbuster project. In May, previous director Albert Hughes left the project due to "creative differences" on the film.

The development team with producer Andrew Lazar (Jonah Hex, Space Cowboys, Get Smart) hired a writer named Albert Torres last year, after screenwriters Gary Whitta, Mark Fergus, and Hawk Ostby were previously attached to the project. When the project was originally announced in 2008, it was intended to be the directorial debut for Ireland's Ruairi Robinson. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Aviator) is producing through his Appian Way production company.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-10-19/live-action-akira-film-green-lit

[magus]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[Himu]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[Great Rumbler]

This film is on a hiding to nothing - the original material is going to get absolutely slashed which will upset the fans of the original (who are likely already crying that this isn't going to be set in Neo Tokyo) so i'm not entirely sure why this is even called Akira.

The story WILL change significantly, the location will change, they'll probably switch in some new characters, the kids will almost certainly be gone, the ending won't be as "bag of frogs" and it's likely to be... well... "$90m blockbuster" fluff movie.

So... why not just call it "AMERICA BIKEY PUNKZ!" - it doesn't gain anything from being called Akira other than huge nerdlinger expectations and obvious backlash when it's not DESUDESUDESU enough -and- a weird "Chinese" name that Bubba and his kids ain't gonna like.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but ... i won't be :/

Akira just doesn't make sense to me, it's way too weird to do right as an American blockbuster. Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop those make sense to me.

[Great Rumbler]

Ghost in the Shell

there was a load of 2ch excitement about the "news" that Spielberg had picked up the rights to GitS - they seem to actually want a big production value film.

Ghost in the Shell wouldn't be too hard to adapt, I think, and they could easily go the SAC route of political intrigue over Oshii's existential philosophizing. Doesn't necessarily mean it would be good, but I think it would have a better chance of being good [and faithful to the franchise] than flippin' Akira.

[Cormacaroni]

Never cared for it so quite happy to see it butchered

[cool breeze]

I want to point out the actor from Tron Legacy is or close to being cast in one of the main roles

if you're lucky enough to have missed Tron Legacy, that's a bad thing

[BlueTsunami]

Ghost in the Shell

there was a load of 2ch excitement about the "news" that Spielberg had picked up the rights to GitS - they seem to actually want a big production value film.

Ghost in the Shell wouldn't be too hard to adapt, I think, and they could easily go the SAC route of political intrigue over Oshii's existential philosophizing. Doesn't necessarily mean it would be good, but I think it would have a better chance of being good [and faithful to the franchise] than flippin' Akira.

From what I remember of Akira there are definitely some elements that will not translate to film well (the ending mostly).

GitS would be perfect and I hope, if its ever brought to live action, that it's actually handled with care. But watch them try to inject fucking Will Smith and his child.

James Cameron needs to get on making some futuristic action or thriller film already (Battle Angel, come on already!)

[BlueTsunami]

Watching some GitS vids and man, something like this would be so good with live action....

[youtube=560,345]uK8V9jG7Wjg[/youtube]

[Cerveza mas fina]

The video magus posted is better than 99% of all Anime (and Japanese video games)

The video is the 1%

 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

if the Japanese keep trying and failing at live action manga/anime adaptations, I really don't think Warner Bros. has much of a shot.

seriously, name one that isn't pants, and failing that, name two.

[Raban]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

talking bike gets me every time

[Mr. Gundam]

Ghost in the Shell

there was a load of 2ch excitement about the "news" that Spielberg had picked up the rights to GitS - they seem to actually want a big production value film.

When did Spielberg get the rights? If they went the Stand Alone Complex route, it might be good.

[Diunx]

I watched GITS a couple of years ago at an artsy theater and for some reason I can't remember any of it. 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

blah blah I'm more machine then human because of my badass cyborg implants blah blah loss of identity in hellish future world that looks like present Japan blah blah basset hound.

[Mr. Gundam]

blah blah I'm more machine then human because of my badass cyborg implants blah blah loss of identity in hellish future world that looks like present Japan blah blah basset hound.

That's why it should be Stand Alone Complex and not the Oshii crap.

[brob]

I like the first ghost in a shell film the best. The series is alright too I guess, but if I was supreme CEO of the gits committee I'd prefer more of that 1995 flavor. 

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

me too really, I think Oshii quietly built a resume of the best hard science fiction movies of our time.

[BlueTsunami]

I like the first ghost in a shell film the best. The series is alright too I guess, but if I was supreme CEO of the gits committee I'd prefer more of that 1995 flavor. 

Seems more serious in regards to the gritty cyberpunk aspect where Stand Alone Complex and Second Gig really deal with political elements. I'd also prefer the feel of the first GitS, which funnily enough is what The Matrix was based off of. But I think both would work well when translated to Live Action.

[Mr. Gundam]

I like the first ghost in a shell film the best. The series is alright too I guess, but if I was supreme CEO of the gits committee I'd prefer more of that 1995 flavor. 

The first film is good, but he totally fucked things up with Innocence.

With that said, when SAC is good, it's excellent.

[Great Rumbler]

if the Japanese keep trying and failing at live action manga/anime adaptations, I really don't think Warner Bros. has much of a shot.

seriously, name one that isn't pants, and failing that, name two.

Japanese blockbusters are all terrible to begin with, they make Transformers look like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[Mr. Gundam]

if the Japanese keep trying and failing at live action manga/anime adaptations, I really don't think Warner Bros. has much of a shot.

seriously, name one that isn't pants, and failing that, name two.

Japanese blockbusters are all terrible to begin with, they make Transformers look like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I watched the live-action Yamato film on the flight back from Amsterdam in April....

Yeah.

[brob]

If japan could just figure out what post-production is they might make some good ones.

[Great Rumbler]

if the Japanese keep trying and failing at live action manga/anime adaptations, I really don't think Warner Bros. has much of a shot.

seriously, name one that isn't pants, and failing that, name two.

Japanese blockbusters are all terrible to begin with, they make Transformers look like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I watched the live-action Yamato film on the flight back from Amsterdam in April....

Yeah.

And that's actually supposed to be one of the BETTER Japanese blockbusters!

If japan could just figure out what post-production is they might make some good ones.

Well, part of the problem is that they're trying to make Hollywood blockbusters with a tenth of the budget.

[Mr. Gundam]

The other problem is that it's hard to get big name Japanese actors to do film. The big money is in TV production.

With that said, Tokyo Sonata, Departures and Norwegian Wood had upper level production values for Japanese films, but they still felt like TV movies at times.

[Great Rumbler]

Kiyoshi Kurosawa [director of Tokyo Sonata] remains one of my favorite living directors.