Akira (planned film)

Last updated

Akira
Screenplay by
Based on Akira
by Katsuhiro Otomo
Produced by
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Akira is a proposed American cyberpunk action film based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Katsuhiro Otomo, and was set to be the second film adaptation following the 1988 anime version. The film will be written by Taika Waititi, Michael Golamco, and Charles Yu.

Contents

Warner Bros. Pictures, which had held the rights to a live-action version adaptation of the manga since 2002, has repeatedly struggled to get production off the ground over various concerns, leaving the project in development hell. In 2017, Waititi was announced to direct and co-write, with production to start in 2019, and scheduled for release in 2021. However, just prior to production, Waititi left the project to direct Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), delaying the project indefinitely. In April 2023, Waititi stated that he aims to begin working on the film again after completing his upcoming Star Wars film.

Premise

A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop. [1]

Production

Earlier attempts

In the 1990s, following the release of the 1988 anime film, Sony Pictures Entertainment obtained the rights to the Akira manga series with the intent of creating a live-action adaptation. This project was ultimately cancelled due to budgetary concerns. [2]

In 2002, Warner Bros. acquired the rights to create a live-action remake of Akira as a seven-figure deal. [3] [4] However, the project has undergone a troubled development, [5] with at least five different directors and ten different writers attached over more than two decades of pre-production. [6] [7] IGN concluded that long-term troubles with producing the live-action film primarily came from two areas. Firstly, there has been the fear of whitewashing or racebending, casting American or other Western actors in lieu of Japanese ones, which has frequently come to light when such actors have been reported as under consideration for these roles. Secondly, Akira itself is not considered a story that is easy to relocate outside of Japan, due to the heavy influence on the original story of Japan's role in World War II, including the atomic bombings of Japan, and their own Unit 731. [6] Attempts to make it more Westernized in order to draw American audiences, such as using the September 11 attacks as part of the establishing events instead of the atomic bombings, required fundamental changes to the story, which has subsequently drawn much criticism. [8]

Shortly after Warner Bros. acquired the rights, Stephen Norrington was slated to direct with James Robinson writing the screenplay and Dan Lin producing. [6] [9] Planned changes included setting the film in Chicago, as well as making Kaneda and Tetsuo brothers. However, following the commercial failure of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003 (which both Norrington and Robinson also collaborated on), the project was put on hold. [6]

Director Ruairí Robinson was hired in 2006, planning to split Akira across two films, [2] with the first to be completed and released by 2009. Producer Andrew Lazar specified that the two movies would each cover three volumes of the six-volume manga. [10] Writer Gary Whitta had been told that Otomo had instructed those working on the film "basically to not be afraid to change things, that he wanted to see an original and different interpretation, not just a straight-up remake". [6] Whitta's take on the story would have re-centered the story to New York: after the destructive Akira incident destroys Manhattan, the US economy nearly collapses. Out of desperation, the government leases the now-vacant land to Japan, which has become an economic powerhouse and is struggling with overpopulation; this city of Japanese citizens built on formerly American land becomes New Tokyo. [2] This would have allowed them to have used a mixture of Western and Asian cultures and actors so as to avoid concerns that they would be whitewashing the project. [6] [11]

Robinson left the project in 2009, replaced as director by Albert Hughes. They used Whitta's script, with additional rewrites by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, Albert Torres, and Steve Kloves, with plans to aim for a PG-13 rating for the two-part film. [2] [6] In 2011, versions of the Akira script began to surface online. In February, selections from a older draft of the screenplay were sent to casting agencies and circulated online, providing glimpses at changes the adaptation was making: the setting of Neo-Manhattan rather than Neo Tokyo, Kaneda and Tetsuo as siblings rather than friends, and an increased focus on the gang's use and trafficking of drugs. [12] A full script, from a different draft than the casting sheets, leaked online later that year; though it was unclear precisely which screenwriter(s) had produced it, the scripts were criticized for deviating significantly from the source material: siblings Kaneda and Tetsuo were now in their early 30s and no longer bikers, Akira was a murderous evil child comparable to a horror villain, and Kei's supporting role was downplayed to a simpler love interest. The American setting also drew criticism for its heavy-handed references to the September 11 attacks and whitewashing in the casting calls (particularly with the renaming of Tetsuo to "Travis"). [6] [13] Shortly after these events, Hughes left the project, citing "amicable creative differences". [6]

In July 2011, Jaume Collet-Serra was hired to direct, with Steve Kloves providing revision work on a draft by screenwriter Albert Torres. [14] By this point, the budget had been drastically reduced to a third of its initial budget. [2] The film was greenlit in October 2011, with filming eyed to begin by February or March 2012. [15] In January 2012, as production was gearing up to begin in Vancouver, Warner Bros. halted production, citing issues with casting, the script and the budget. [16] Collet-Serra would depart the film during this time, but would return in August 2013. [17] He detailed his vision for the film in February 2014, stating that it would be respectful of the source material, but would still have differences. [18] [19] New drafts of the screenplay were completed by Dante Harper in 2014 [20] and Marco Ramirez in July 2015. [21] By 2017, Collett-Serra was no longer attached to the project. [6]

During this interim period, Warner Bros. sought new directors to take over the film. George Miller was offered the chance to direct the film, but he turned it down due to commitments to other projects. [22] The studio was also reported to have been in talks with Justin Lin to direct the film. [23] Jordan Peele was offered the chance to direct, but declined. [24]

In a June 2017 interview, Otomo said that he was "basically done with Akira" as a manga, and that "if someone wants to do something new with Akira then I am mostly okay with that", on the condition that he be allowed to review and approve of any approach a writer might take with a live-action adaptation. [25]

Development

In September 2017, it was announced that director Taika Waititi was in talks to direct. [4] He expressed an intention to adapt the original six-volume manga, rather than directly remaking the anime film. [26] [27] In May 2019, Waititi was officially confirmed to direct the film, and would be co-writing the script with Michael Golamco, with a release date of May 21, 2021. [28] [1] Filming was scheduled to have commenced in California in July 2019. [29]

However, Waititi was announced to direct Thor: Love and Thunder on July 16, 2019 – Akira was once again put on hold, with Waititi's continued connection to the project uncertain. [30] In August 2019, he signed on to direct Next Goal Wins , prior to his obligations to Thor: Love and Thunder, delaying Akira even further. [31] [32] Warner Bros. ultimately removed Akira from its release schedule by December 2019, filling its May 2021 release window with The Matrix Resurrections . [33] Waititi reaffirmed his post-Thor commitment to Akira in 2019 [34] and 2021. [35] Though Waititi has been announced to write and direct an upcoming Star Wars film, [36] reports have suggested that Akira may be developed before this Star Wars film. [37] [38]

As of late 2023, Waititi was focused on production of Klara and the Sun but acknowledged that Akira was still in his "backlog" of projects. Charles Yu is now attached as writer. [27]

Casting

Concept art for Robinson's 2008 production featured Chris Evans as Kaneda against Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Travis (Tetsuo), though it is unclear if either actor was actually attached to the project. [2]

In 2011, the casting process began in earnest. Actors considered for Kaneda included James Franco, Robert Pattinson, and Keanu Reeves; [39] Garrett Hedlund emerged as the frontrunner for the role and began negotiations in November. [40] Tetsuo was not cast before the production halted; Paul Dano, Alden Ehrenreich, and Toby Kebbell were among those screen tested. [41] Kristen Stewart was offered the role of Ky Reed (Kei) shortly after Hedlund was cast. [41] [42] Gary Oldman was offered the role of the Colonel [43] but passed on the project, the role was then offered to Ken Watanabe. [44] Helena Bonham Carter [43] and Keira Knightley [45] were approached for unspecified roles.

For his production, Waititi has asserted an intention to cast Asian-American teenagers to play the leads to avoid concerns over whitewashing, and preferred lesser-known actors for the roles. [26]

Related Research Articles

<i>Akira</i> (1988 film) 1988 animated film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo

Akira is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name. Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amid chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo.

<i>Akira</i> (manga) Japanese manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk post-apocalyptic manga series written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo. It was serialized biweekly in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Young Magazine from December 20, 1982, to June 25, 1990, with its 120 chapters collected into six tankōbon' volumes. It was initially published in the United States by Marvel Comics under its Epic imprint, becoming one of the first manga works to be translated in its entirety into English. It is currently published by Kodansha Comics in North America. Considered a watershed title for the medium, the manga is also famous for spawning the seminal 1988 cyberpunk anime film adaptation of the same name and the greater franchise.

<i>Tetsujin 28-go</i> Japanese manga series and its adaptations

Tetsujin 28-gō, known as simply Tetsujin 28 in international releases, is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centers on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controls a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father.

Stephen Norrington is an English special effects artist and retired film director known for his work in the horror and action genres. Beginning his career as a sculptor and makeup artist, he worked under Dick Smith, Rick Baker, and Stan Winston on a number of well-known, effects-driven films of the 1980s and 90s. His directorial credits include the cult sci-fi horror film Death Machine and the comic book adaptations Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He portrayed Michael Morbius in the alternate ending to Blade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaume Collet-Serra</span> Spanish-American film director and producer (born 1974)

Jaume Collet-Serra is a Spanish-American film director and producer. He has directed the horror films House of Wax (2005), Orphan (2009), and The Shallows (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taika Waititi</span> New Zealand filmmaker, actor and comedian (born 1975)

Taika David Cohen, known professionally as Taika Waititi, is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor and comedian. He is known for directing quirky comedy films and has expanded his career as a voice actor and producer on numerous projects. He has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Grammy Award. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.

<i>Green Lantern</i> (film) 2011 film by Martin Campbell

Green Lantern is a 2011 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett, and Tim Robbins, with Martin Campbell directing a script by Greg Berlanti and comic book writers Michael Green and Marc Guggenheim that was subsequently rewritten by Michael Goldenberg. This was the first DC film since Catwoman (2004) not to be involved with Legendary Pictures. The film tells the story of Hal Jordan, a test pilot who is selected to become the first human member of an intergalactic police force called the Green Lantern Corps; he is given a ring that grants him superpowers and must confront Parallax, a being who threatens to upset the balance of power in the universe, while a new threat rises back on Earth.

Japanese cyberpunk refers to cyberpunk fiction produced in Japan. There are two distinct subgenres of Japanese cyberpunk: live-action Japanese cyberpunk films, and cyberpunk manga and anime works.

<i>Thor: Ragnarok</i> 2017 Marvel Studios film

Thor: Ragnarok is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013), and is the 17th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and the writing team of Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost, and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor alongside Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Hopkins. In Thor: Ragnarok, Thor must escape the alien planet Sakaar in time to save Asgard from Hela (Blanchett) and the impending Ragnarök.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Muschietti</span> Argentine filmmaker (born 1973)

Andrés Walter Muschietti is an Argentine film director and screenwriter who had his breakthrough with the 2013 film Mama. He gained further recognition for directing both films in the It film series, the 2017 film adaptation of the Stephen King novel and its 2019 sequel, It Chapter Two. In 2023, he directed the DC Extended Universe film The Flash.

<i>Death Note</i> (2017 film) 2017 film by Adam Wingard

Death Note is a 2017 American supernatural crime thriller film directed by Adam Wingard from a screenplay by Charles Parlapanides, Vlas Parlapanides, and Jeremy Slater, loosely based on the manga of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. It stars Nat Wolff, LaKeith Stanfield, Margaret Qualley, Shea Whigham, Paul Nakauchi, Jason Liles, and Willem Dafoe. The plot follows an American high school student named Light Turner, who finds a mysterious supernatural notebook known as the Death Note and uses it to murder criminals around the globe under the alias of Kira, while an international detective known only as L seeks to find and arrest him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. J. Abrams's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced J. J. Abrams projects in roughly chronological order. During a career that has spanned over 30 years, J. J. Abrams has worked on projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction.

<i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> 2022 Marvel Studios film

Thor: Love and Thunder is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Thor. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, and stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor alongside Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander, Waititi, Russell Crowe, and Natalie Portman. In the film, Thor tries to find inner peace, but must return to action and recruit Valkyrie (Thompson), Korg (Waititi), and Jane Foster (Portman)—who is now the Mighty Thor—to stop Gorr the God Butcher (Bale) from eliminating all gods.

The Picture Company is an American entertainment company founded in 2014, by Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman, in Glendale, California. It specializes in film, starting off moderately in 2018 with Jaume Collet-Serra's The Commuter and Albert Hughes' Alpha.

<i>Akira</i> (franchise) Japanese media franchise created by Katsuhiro Otomo

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on Katsuhiro Otomo's seminal manga, Akira, published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a 1988 anime film and three video games. A live-action feature film has also been in development since 2000, and a new anime television series by Otomo was also announced in 2019.

<i>Next Goal Wins</i> (2023 film) Film by Taika Waititi

Next Goal Wins is a 2023 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Iain Morris. It is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison about Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen's efforts to lead the American Samoa national football team, considered one of the weakest association football teams in the world, to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Rongen, alongside Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss.

<i>Father of the Bride</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Gaz Alazraki

Father of the Bride is a 2022 American romantic comedy film directed by Gaz Alazraki and written by Matt Lopez, based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter. It serves as a reimagining of the titular 1950 and 1991 movies, and the sixth overall installment in the Father of the Bride franchise. The film stars Andy García, Gloria Estefan, Adria Arjona, Isabela Merced, Diego Boneta, and Chloe Fineman. It is the third filmed version of the story, after the original 1950 film and the 1991 remake. Produced by Plan B Entertainment, it was released on June 16, 2022, by Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max.

<i>Deadpool and Korg React</i> 2021 American short film

Deadpool and Korg React is a 2021 American superhero promotional short film featuring the Marvel Comics characters Deadpool and Korg. The film was written and directed by Ryan Reynolds, with him and Taika Waititi respectively starring as Deadpool and Korg. In Deadpool and Korg React, Wade Wilson and Korg react to the trailer of Free Guy (2021) before discussing the possibility of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Reynolds reprises his role from the X-Men film series, while Waititi reprises his role from the MCU films Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

<i>Time Bandits</i> (TV series) 2024 fantasy adventure television series

Time Bandits is a fantasy adventure television series created by Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris, and Taika Waititi, based on characters from the 1981 film of the same directed by Terry Gilliam. The series premiered on July 24, 2024, on Apple TV+. In September 2024, the series was canceled after one season.

The following is a list of unproduced Guy Ritchie projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, English film director Guy Ritchie has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these productions fell in development hell or were cancelled.

References

  1. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 24, 2019). "Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Will Take Off In Summer 2021". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Falk, Ben (March 21, 2017). "Akira: The long and tortured history of the live-action remake". Yahoo! News . Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  3. Linder, Brian et al. (12 April 2002). "Akira Hollywood Remake!?" IGN.com. Retrieved 24 October 2006. Archived 13 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 1 2 Busch, Anita; Flemming, Mike (September 19, 2017). "'Akira' Back? 'Thor: Ragnarok' Helmer Taika Waititi In Talks". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  5. Gramuglia, Anthony (April 14, 2019). "Akira: The Long, Exhausting History of Hollywood's Live-Action Movie". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Marc, Christopher (April 6, 2017). "Akira: The Tortured History of the Unmade Live-Action Adaptation". IGN . Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  7. Kit, Borys (January 5, 2012). "'Akira' Production Offices Shut Down As Warner Bros. Scrutinizes Budget (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014.
  8. Joest, Mick (August 2, 2019). "Why Does The Akira Movie Keep Running Into Production Problems?". CinemaBlend . Retrieved August 6, 2019.
  9. Linder, Brian (April 12, 2002). "Akira Hollywood Remake!?". Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  10. Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub. "Exclusive: Producer Andrew Lazar Video Interview JONAH HEX; Plus Updates on AKIRA, ONE FINGER SALUTE, GET SMART 2, More". Collider.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  11. "Screenwriter Gary Whitta Says His AKIRA Script Took Place in a Japanese-owned Manhattan". Collider.com. May 28, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  12. Newitz, Annalee (February 28, 2011). "Early script pages reveal what's happening with the American Akira". Gizmodo. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  13. Brockway, Robert (April 7, 2011). "The Actual Live-Action Akira Script: Worse Than You Think". Cracked.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  14. Sneider, Jeff (July 14, 2011). "Warner Bros. taps 'Unknown' director for 'Akira'".
  15. Kroll, Justin (October 20, 2011). "Warners greenlights 'Akira'; Hedlund front-runner".
  16. Kit, Borys (January 5, 2012). "'Akira' Production Offices Shut Down As Warner Bros. Scrutinizes Budget (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter .
  17. Kroll, Justin (August 2, 2013). "Jaume Collet-Serra Returns to Direct 'Akira' (EXCLUSIVE)".
  18. Han, Angie (February 10, 2014). "Jaume Collet-Serra's 'Akira' Won't Be Too Faithful To The Source Material". SlashFilm.
  19. "Director Collet-Serra Hopes Live-Action Akira Will Be His Next Work". News. Anime News Network. February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  20. Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 14, 2014). "Dante Harper Boards Fox 2000s 'The Secret Of The Temple'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  21. Sneider, Jeff (June 9, 2015). "'Daredevil' Showrunner to Resurrect 'Akira' Movie at Warner Bros".
  22. Bulter, Tom (October 6, 2015). "George Miller Turned Down The Live Action Akira Remake (Exclusive)". Yahoo UK. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  23. Popcorn Talk. "Akira with Justin Lin?, Sister Act 3, The Rock as the Wolfman & More – Meet The Movie Press". Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2016 via YouTube.
  24. Chitwood, Adam (May 16, 2017). "Jordan Peele Explains Why He Won't Be Directing 'Akira'". Collider. Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  25. Anderson, Kyle (June 1, 2017). "Akira creator says he must approve any live-action film". The Nerdist . Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  26. 1 2 Sharf, Zack (October 11, 2017). "Taika Waititi Teases 'Akira' Film Adaptation, Says No One Has to Worry About Whitewashing". Indiewire. Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  27. 1 2 "Taika Waititi Confirms He's Not Directing 'Thor 5' — But Chris Hemsworth is in Talks for Return". Inverse. November 14, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  28. Couch, Aaron (May 24, 2019). "Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Sets 2021 Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  29. Patton, Dominic (April 2, 2019). "Leonardo DiCaprio Produced 'Akira' Scores In Latest CA Tax Credits Allocation". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  30. Kit, Borys (July 16, 2019). "Taika Waititi to Direct 'Thor 4' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  31. Kroll, Justin (August 7, 2019). "Taika Waititi Sets New Project With Fox Searchlight Before Thor 4 (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  32. D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 7, 2019). "Taika Waititi's Fox Searchlight Project Will Be Next Goal Wins, Details Revealed". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  33. Hipes, Patrick (December 11, 2019). "Warner Bros Sets Release Dates For 'The Matrix' Sequel, 'The Flash' & More; 'Akira' Off Schedule". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  34. Schedeen, Jesse (October 18, 2019). "Akira: Taika Waititi Still Directing Live-Action Anime Movie After Thor 4". IGN . Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  35. Kelly, Stephen (August 11, 2021). "Taika Waititi talks Free Guy, Star Wars and Thor". Wired UK . Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  36. "Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi to Direct and Co-Write new Star Wars Feature Film for Theatrical Release; Oscar Nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns to Co-Write Screenplay with Waititi". StarWars.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  37. "Akira Live-Action Movie Reportedly Moving Forward with Taika Waititi". comicbook.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  38. Phillips, Terry (April 10, 2023). "Taika Waititi's Akira Movie Reportedly Gets Surprising Development Update". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  39. Kit, Borys (May 6, 2011). "Keanu Reeves Circling Warner Bros.' Akira (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter .
  40. Kroll, Justin (November 3, 2011). "Garrett Hedlund in talks for Warners' 'Akira'".
  41. 1 2 Kit, Borys (November 18, 2011). "Casting Couch: Hot Actors Testing for Key 'Akira' Role". The Hollywood Reporter.
  42. Kit, Borys (November 15, 2011). "Kristen Stewart Has an Offer to Star in 'Akira,' Will She Accept?". The Hollywood Reporter .
  43. 1 2 Han, Angie (October 24, 2011). "Helena Bonham Carter And Gary Oldman Could Be In 'Akira'". SlashFilm.
  44. Han, Angie (November 23, 2011). "Gary Oldman Won't Be In 'Akira', Ken Watanabe Offered Colonel Role Instead". SlashFilm.
  45. Han, Angie (November 5, 2011). "Casting Bits: Keira Knightley Approached For 'Akira', Gary Oldman Wanted For 'Arthur & Lancelot', Holly Hunter And Elisabeth Moss In Jane Campion Miniseries". SlashFilm.