By David on June 14, 2009
Bloody Disgusting (caution-site has mature content) is reporting that the Live Action Akira Film, which was to involve Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Brothers has been canceled:
‘Akira’ Project is Dead as a Doornail: Sad news comes in this weekend as we have learned that not only has Robinson left the project, but Tetsuo and Kaneda’s adventure is “dead as a doornail,” a report we’ve confirmed with two separate sources. I can only hope it gets revived in the near future as this could have been one of the coolest effin’ movies ever…Continue Reading at BD.com
Special thanks to Slash Film.
Posted in Anime News | Tagged akira film, live action akira
I love anime. Specifically, series involving any of the following things: weird fantasy elements, super-powers, robots, aliens, wicked humor, crazy villains, horror, ninjas and samurai. I guess that means I like a lot of anime. I am pretty particular about the quality of animation and voice acting. If the character designs and animation quality aren't of über-quality, I quickly loose interest.The first anime-related series I ever watched was Battle of the Planets - otherwise known as Gatachman. The first true theatrical anime feature film I saw was Akira. My first exposure to manga was later in life when I read Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy.There are so many incredible elements of Japanese culture. Some of the most exciting to me are the style of design and storytelling. I'm a web designer & illustrator, and I find myself looking to Japanese design for inspiration all the time.Anime blogging has taught me even more about Japanese culture and anime than I ever expected, and I continue to learn more every week. In fact, I'd love to travel to Japan. Rachel and I hope to visit sometime within the next few years.
it would have been awful anyway
Indeed. With Neo Tokyo called New Manhattan and god know what other transformations, this would have been another one of those “americanized” movies, brainwashed and easy to digest. What bothers me the most is that the producers of this DEAD (thank you) movie considered that the only way to present another culture is through massive transformation (Akira would have been only a name in the beginning of the movie). Cant north American people digest another culture like it is? One of the coolest movies ever? I don’t think so. Maybe from the perspective of someone who doesn’t care about anime and who doesn’t care about Akira. From my perspective, it should have been called “Leo and Warner hit Japan”.
Why is there a need to turn animation into live action films? Didn’t Hollywood see what happened with Dragonball? Some things are better left alone!
Not sure whether to be happy or upset at this news… was the potential cast ever mentioned?
I do kind of hope that in a few months I’m reading a similar article on the WB Death Note movie, however.