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good for Akira...
We now know of at least one more Hollywood star that won't be leading Warner Bros. Pictures' live-action visualization of Akira. Two weeks after surprising reports indicated that Keanu Reeves was a front-runner to play Kaneda in the latest adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's classic tale, JoBlo has confirmed that Keanu has reportedly passed on the offer. According to the website, Reeves is the latest in a list of A-list talent which passed on the role, joining Brad Pitt, James Franco and Ryan Gosling.
His decision has also spawned rumors on whether the project has entered turnaround and shifted back to development hell as well. Sampson reports that after hearing from Reeves' reps, the studio shut down the pre-viz department and let go most of the staff that was working on the film.
For their part, Warner Bros. Pictures insists the film is still early into its development phase:
"Production on ‘Akira’ has not halted or been shut down, as the film has not yet been greenlit and is still very much in the development stage. The exploratory process is crucial to a project of this magnitude, and we will continue to sculpt our approach to making the best possible film."
So the search begins anew for a new top talent star to play the role of Kaneda. Helmer Albert Hughes is still attached to direct based on a screenplay that has been written (along with various rewrites) by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Gary Whitta and Steve Kloves.
Plot Concept: Based on Katsuhiro Otomo's six-volume graphic novel masterwork, the film is said to take place in "New Manhattan," a metropolis that was rebuilt after being destroyed 31 years ago. The famous motorcycle will also definitely be a part of the film.
THANK GOD. Now if they would just stop production on this future travesty...
Ah, travesty schmravesty...I can't be the only one who finds very little redeeming qualities in anime. I'm looking forward to some sort of Americanized version of this...but yeah, not shedding any tears over Keanu's non-involvement.
@Caveman
I'm with you on the anime. I find it perverted and at times incomprehensible. (Anime fans, go ahead and flame me) I thought the animated Akira was pretty good, but even it - at times - left me scratching my head and wondering "wtf is going on?" However, Akira is one of the best of the best. The majority of it is IMO crap. Sad to see it dominates American animated TV as it does. Pokemon, Yuh-Gi-Oh, Beyblade, One Piece.... then there's the junk they run late night on SyFy....even more messed up. I'll pass on an Akira movie.
I think, if done properly this could absolutely blow ur minds away! Its great that a few of them actors passed on the role. James Franco would've been interesting but I'm with wrrlykam, bring in someone japanese/american maybe a total unkown?
I'm with both Caveman and dojen on anime. There are a few exceptions though.
As a Keanu fan I'm sad to see him drop out. I don't really care much about this but it smells to me as one of those productions that is very expensive to do right and in the end will be done on the cheap and turn out to be garbage ala so many other anime adaptations. Which is why you need a name like Keanu for a studio to take a gamble and put enough money into it otherwise you'll get the quality of another Dragonball or Street Fighter
Get Rain from Ninja Assassin! Is it really that hard to find an oriental lead? Get the dude from fast five...
Yeah Dazzler, Rain is badass indeed!!! With Steve Kloves attatching his name to the writing it shouldn't be too hard for them to find someone that would be interested, maybe even Daniel Radcliffe? That kid needs something drastic to differentiate himself from his last film series........what was it again? That magic kid.........name always escapes me.........
@ dojen1
Judging anime based on Pokemon, Yuh-Gi-Oh, Beyblade, etc. would be tantamount to juding all American animation on the schlock that Hanna Barbera did in the late 60s / 70s to save money where often there was hardly any animation. Also that stuff is aimed at small children. I don't go around saying Sesame Street or Yo Gabba Gabba sucks because I'm not the intended audience. I know the stuff I grew up with was ahead of its time when compared to American cartoons. Characters were getting killed in Voltron & Macros, and when it was transported to America (Voltron at least), they "sanitized" by making the characters not die so American kids wouldn't be traumatized.
I haven't been into anime for years, but I wouldn't be so bold as to paint it all as bad. As far as scratching your head, there are probably many American films where people from other countries would watch and scratch their heads as well because they don't understand the cultural references, etc.
Keanu is only 2 years younger than me and I'm 50 next year. A wise choice there mate. Now I could see him as the Colonel or Ryu. Why not use Japanese American cast in a chinatown/Tokyotown ghetto of NY? PLease everyone as you can use A list cast and please fans more.