Sep 8 2009 Some People Writing 'Akira'
It's been so long since first hearing of Leonardo DiCaprio's plan to produce a live-action remake of Akira, I was almost beginning to think he'd grown content with the perfectly satisfactory Akira movie that already exists. Alas, that's not the case. The thing is apparently still going ahead, and Collider is reporting the Children of Men screenwriters are at work on a script:
According to my source, screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, guys whose work I like, are about to turn in their version of an “Akira” movie and the reason why the project has been so quiet is they’ve been hard at work trying to get the script right.From what I could gather, the movie is still a priority for the studio, and if the script meets with approval from key people, the movie could go into production in 2010 with a release date in 2011. Also, this isn’t going to be some mid-range budget movie. If the film goes into production, it’s going to be one of those BIG event movies.
Well, I'm not thrilled this is still happening, but at least it's better than someone remaking a Disney or Pixar film. It's good to send Japan the clear message that it's only their animation we don't consider legitimate enough to exist solely as animation.
Feb 21 2008 DiCaprio, Gordon-Levitt Join Drastically-Altered 'Akira'
Weekly, when I write down a list of Leonardo DiCaprio's interests, it generally includes the same items: acting, the environment, supermodels, Martin Scorsese, never quite growing out of a scrunched baby face. Never would I have dreamed "anime" would make the list, particularly over "idiotic facial hair." But apparently it has, with Leo announcing plans to bring the classic '80s manga/anime Akira to the big screen, with himself in the lead as Kaneda and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tetsuo.
Of course, since the film will take place in Neo Manhattan instead of Neo Tokyo, the names will probably be changed to something moms can more easily pronounce. And since DiCaprio is in his mid-30s, the whole teenage thing will have to be altered a bit, maybe adding some references to mortgages. And with his views on environmentalism, the signature motorcycle will probably be changed to hybrid mass transit, or maybe a community-shared bicycle. But ignoring all of the massive changes, it sounds like it will be a very faithful adaptation that should please all of the original's rabid, obsessive fans.
Is this as bad an idea as I think it is? All I can remember from the anime is the constant screaming.
