I smell Disaster
[size=16]MTV Interview with Gary Oldman[/size]
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-11-21/gary-oldman-discusses-offer-for-akira-role
[size=20]Gary Oldman Discusses Offer for Akira Role[/size]
posted on 2011-11-21 18:55 EST
Actor says script is interesting but doesn’t know if he’ll take role
MTV News posted an interview with Gary Oldman (Dark Knight trilogy) on Monday that included a few questions about Oldman’s offer for a role in Warner Brothers’ live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga. Oldman said in the interview that he did know know yet whether he was going to act in the film. When asked if he thought the script was interesting, Oldman said “Yeah, but, we’ll see, I’m open at the moment.” The Twitch entertainment news site had reported last month that Oldman had been offered the role of Colonel in the film.
On Friday, The Hollywood Reporter entertainment trade magazine listed the actors who are screen-testing for the role of Tetsuo in the film. According to the magazine, Warner wants to cast the role before Thanksgiving, but after the actors undergo screen tests on Sunday and Monday.
The Twitch website reported last Tuesday that actress Kristen Stewart (Twilight, The Runaways, Snow White and the Huntsman) has been offered the lead female role of Kei. The Hollywood Reporter trade magzine’s Heat Vision blog said later that day the role was renamed Ky Reed, “a woman who is part of an underground movement to expose the government for turning orphans into living weapons.”
Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) is in talks for the other lead role of Kaneda, which The Hollywood Reporter described as Tetsuo’s “older brother” in Warner’s film. The Twitch website and The Hollywood Reporter previously said that Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), Oldman, and Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean films) have all been approached for roles.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-11-23/twitch-site/ken-watanabe-offered-akira-colonel-role
[size=20]Twitch Site: Ken Watanabe Offered Akira’s Colonel Role[/size]
posted on 2011-11-23 00:15 EST
Warner, Gary Oldman unable to reach deal on same role in live-action film adaptation
The Twitch entertainment news site reported on Tuesday that Warner Brothers offered Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Inception) the role of Colonel in the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga. The site also reported that Warner and Gary Oldman, the previous actor approached for the role of Colonel, had been “unable to close the deal.”
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-11-29/live-action-akira-film-plot-listed-by-casting-call
[size=20]Live-Action Akira Film’s Plot Listed by Casting Call[/size]
posted on 2011-11-29 19:05 EST
Acting Auditions site also lists 4 main cast members
Acting Auditions, an employment resource for actors, posted a plot description for the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga on Tuesday. The short description was sent out as part of a casting call for extras and stand-ins in the film.
The description is as follows:
[quote]Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.
Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.
Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.[/quote]
Acting Auditions listed the following actors and actresses as having been cast in the film; however, the website provided no source for the news:
• Kristen Stewart as Ky
• Garret Hedlund as Kaneda
• Helena Bonham-Carter as Lady Miyako
• Ken Watanabe as The Colonel
The Twitch entertainment news site reported earlier this month that Warner Brothers offered Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Inception) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight, The Runaways, Snow White and the Huntsman) the roles of Colonel and Ky, respectively, and it reported in October that Helena Bonham-Carter (A Room with a View, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The King’s Speech) had been offered the role of Lady Miyako. The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine reported earlier this month that Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, Country Strong, Friday Night Lights) was in negotiations with Warner Bros. for the role of Kaneda.
[size=20]Helena Bonham Carter Undecided on Live-Action Akira Film[/size]
posted on 2011-12-02 11:45 EST
The King’s Speech actress confirms she has read the script
Actress Helena Bonham-Carter (A Room with a View, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The King’s Speech) told MTV News on Wednesday that she has not decided whether to be in Warner’s live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga. The actress spoke with MTV News on the red carpet at The 2011 Britannia Awards in Los Angeles:
The Twitch entertainment news site reported in October that she had been offered the role of Lady Miyako. Acting Auditions, an employment resource for actors, listed her in the role, but provided no source for the listing.
Twitch also reported last month that Warner Brothers offered Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Inception) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight, The Runaways, Snow White and the Huntsman) the roles of Colonel and Ky, respectively. The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine reported last month that Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, Country Strong, Friday Night Lights) was in negotiations with Warner Bros. for the role of Kaneda.
[size=20]Hollywood Reporter: Live-Action Akira Film’s Production Shut Down[/size]
posted on 2012-01-05 15:50 EST
Site: Vancouver offices to close, some staff “told to stop working”
The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine’s Heat Vision blog is reporting on Thursday that the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga is being shut down because of “casting and budgetary issues.” According to the website, the film’s production offices in Vancouver will be closed, and “below-the-line” staff (those who work on film’s physical production) have been “told to stop working.”
The site reports that, according to insiders, if the project’s issues cannot be resolved, it “could end up being shelved entirely.” Producers Jennifer Kiloran Davisson and Andrew Lazar, along with director Jaume Collet-Serra, will work on revising the film’s script for the next two weeks. According to the site, Collet-Serra was working on a US$90 million budget for the film, but now needs to cut the budget down to between US$60-US$70 million to keep it going.
Warner Bros. officially green-lit the film for production in October. The Variety entertainment trade magazine project had described the film as a “potential tentpole project,” and it was slated to begin production 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.)
Variety had reported in July that Warner hired director 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 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/2012-01-05/variety/akira-down-not-out-but-new-writer-to-polish-script
[size=20]Variety: Akira ‘Down, Not Out’ But New Writer to Polish Script[/size]
posted on 2012-01-05 21:30 EST
Deadline site: Warner studio’s option deals on 2 Tetsuo candidates ended today
The entertainment trade magazine Variety and the film news website Deadline.com reported that the end is not near for the live-action Akira film, even though pre-production is being shut down for now.
Warner Bros. wants the current script draft, which was written by David James Kelly, to be reworked. Deadline.com added the studio will quickly hire “a high-end writer to do a polish” on the script before deciding whether to resume the project or not. Variety named Jonah Nolan (The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises) and Michael Green (Green Lantern) as possible candidates, but emphasized that no rewriting job has actually been offered yet. Studio sources did tell Variety that the script and cast are the issues, not the US$90-million budget.
According to Deadline, the Warner Bros. studio had option deals with two acting candidates for the central role of Tetsuo, Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, True Blood, far left) and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire,. left) However, both of their options deals ended today, so the actors are no longer legally bound to keep their schedules open for Akira. (Production would have started on March 5 before the shutdown.)
Warner Bros. officially green-lit the film for production in October with director Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown, Orphan, House of Wax). 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.
Dang it I was just about to post.
I think we need to stake it through the heart, cut off its head and burn them in separate piles.
Seems like this movie would play better sticking closer to the original script and casting younger, even some unknown, actors for a lot of the roles.
Or, of course, make Tetsuo become a vampire instead of developing telekenisis. Kaneda? A werewolf…
[size=20]Live-Action Akira Director Collet-Serra Linked to Other Projects[/size]
posted on 2012-02-15 23:48 EST
Entertainment trade news source Variety reported on February 2 that director Jaume Collet-Serra has signed on to direct Quean, a pilot for an American CBS television series written by Ilene Chaiken and Joel Silver. The pilot is said to be about a female hacker who assists the police in solving crimes. Collet-Serra is the Catalonian director currently attached to direct the live-action Akira film at Warner Brothers with producer Leonardo DiCaprio.
In the United States, television pilots are one-episode tests that are produced for television networks, and are used to decide what shows will eventually be acquired for broadcast. Television directors are typically only brought in for a single episode at a time, with their total involvement covering a number of weeks.
Separately, New York magazine’s Vulture blog reported last Friday that the director is also attached to direct Harker, a re-imagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula stories. The film will be produced by DiCaprio, and Warner Brothers is currently talking to various potential stars, including Russell Crowe. Vulture reported that Akira in its current state was considered by Warner Brothers to be too costly, and that the studios’ current plan is to have Collet-Serra direct Harker first, and then return to the live-action Akira project with a lower budget.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-03-26/would-be-akira-actor-kebbell-expresses-his-misgivings
[size=20]Would-Be Akira Actor Kebbell Expresses His Misgivings[/size]
posted on 2012-03-26 21:45 EDT
Toby Kebbell speaks about frustrations with adaptation, love of original manga
In a recent interview with IFC Fix, actor Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla, War Horse, The Conspirator’s John Wilkes Booth) not only confirmed the report that he was named as a candidate to play Tetsuo in the currently halted live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga, but also gave his thoughts on the series, explaining how he disagreed with creative choices made with regards to the adaptation process.
In the interview, Kebbell states that when he was approached with the role, he mentioned that he had read the entire manga in the past, and suggested that the manga’s six volumes be adapted into as many as three films, so that “my [Kebbell’s] character, Tetsuo, is not the lead …] He’s not the second lead, and he’s not the third or the fourth lead, because there are eight major characters there. You’ve got great young actors, and you could get them in there. That’s the way to do it if you want to do sequels.”
He also noted that the studio’s reaction to his suggestion was not particularly positive, which caused him to reply that if their plans were to create a live-action remake of the anime, he was not interested, because “[the anime adaptation] is perfect and you’re not going to do it dark enough — so therefore, I don’t want to do it.”
Kebbell also expressed his anger at some of the other creative choices that were to be made in the adaptation, such as the decision to make two of the lead characters of the film, Tetsuo and Kanada, into brothers. He said that his reaction to hearing this was to tell the producers, “The point is that Tetsuo can’t comprehend how someone who isn’t his brother could love him so much — and that’s where his wrath and his rage come from. Do you not see that? Why have you made them brothers? What the [f–k] are you doing?”
Though the live-action Akira project has now stalled, Kebbell says in the interview that he hopes that if it does get made, they will adapt the full manga, though he also says that he does not expect the film’s producers to be interested in working with him again.
Pretty close to Kaneda’s bike.
Slick
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-08-21/actor-paul-dano-confirms-reading-to-live-action-akira
[size=20]Actor Paul Dano Confirms Reading for Live-Action Akira[/size]
posted on 2012-08-21 01:46 EDT
Actor Paul Dano confirmed with Indiewire’s The Playlist blog that he read for the (renamed) part of Tetsuo in the planned live-action Akira film. He acknowledged going through an audition with the director, as well as meeting with different filmmakers. He added, “The only way that movie would be worthwhile would be if someone like Rian Johnson did it or something, that’s the version they should make.” Danno worked with Johnson in the director’s Looper film.
Warner Brothers shut down pre-production on the film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga while the script is being reworked.
They will have reworked Akira so much by the time they make Akira, it will be Arika.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2012-09-10/live-action-akira-film-opening-storyboards-posted
[size=20]Live-Action Akira Film’s Opening Storyboards Posted[/size]
posted on 2012-09-10 14:45 EDT
Storyboard artist Jeffrey Errico posts opening title sequence for Warner Bros.’ planned film
Jeffrey Errico, a storyboard artist who worked on the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga, has posted his storyboards for the opening title sequence for the planned film.
In January, the entertainment trade magazine Variety and the film news website Deadline both reported that Warner Bros.’ adaptation of the manga is not finished, even though the film’s pre-production has been shut down.
Variety had added in January that Warner Bros. wants the current script draft, which was written by David James Kelly, to be reworked.
Warner Bros. officially green-lit the film for production last October with director Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown, Orphan, House of Wax). 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/interest/2012-09-13/more-live-action-akira-film-storyboards-posted
[size=20]More Live-Action Akira Film Storyboards Posted[/size]
posted on 2012-09-13 16:00 EDT
New storyboards from artist Chris Weston feature Tetsuo
Chris Weston, a storyboard artist who worked on the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga, posted some of his storyboards for the planned film on Wednesday. These new storyboards feature Tetsuo and the cryogenic chamber. Chris Weston commented on the storyboards on his blog, noting that “hopefully they reveal just how much love we had for the source material and how faithful we were going to be to it.”
Storyboard artist Jeffrey Errico previously posted storyboards for the opening title sequence of the film.
In January, the entertainment trade magazine Variety and the film news website Deadline both reported that Warner Bros.’ adaptation of the manga is not finished, even though the film’s pre-production has been shut down.
Variety had added in January that Warner Bros. wants the current script draft, which was written by David James Kelly, to be reworked.
Warner Bros. officially green-lit the film for production last October with director Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown, Orphan, House of Wax). 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.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/11/21-1/a-look-at-unused-live-action-akira-concept-art
[size=20]A Look at Unused Live-Action “Akira” Concept Art[/size]
November 21, 2012 10:32am CST
Three cityscapes and Kaneda costume design from Rodolfo DiMaggio
More art for the shelved Hollywood live-action Akira has cropped up online. Movie/comic artist Rodolfo Dimaggio (Hulk, Iron Man, Green Lantern, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) has posted a trio of cityscape concept pieces, as well as a look at its rather non-teenage version of Kaneda.
Back in September, storyboards from artist Jeffrey Errico emerged online.
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There were also storyboard from concept artist Sylvain Despretz’s (Gladiator, Alien Resurrection) 2008 work on the project.
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Akira went through directors Ruairi Robinson, Albert Hughes and Jaume Collet-Serra before stalling out on budget issues.
[size=20]Writer: Live-Action Akira Would Have Been Set on Japanese-Owned Manhattan[/size]
posted on 2013-05-29 01:00 EDT
Gary Whitta discusses balance between fans’ expectations and Westernization
Gary Whitta, a screenwriter on the shuttered live-action Akira film, spoke in an interview with film website Collider about his perspective on the project. Whitta worked on the film for about six months while director Ruairi Robinson was attached in 2008. Robinson was replaced by Albert Hughes, who in turn was replaced by Jaume Collet-Serra.
Whitta stated the film was shooting for below an R rating — a difficult task due to the subject matter — while trying to balance Western aesthetics with fans’ desires.
Whitta was looking to balance both by having the film take place in “New Tokyo.” In this version of the script, America sold the island of Manhattan to Japan which in turn developed New Tokyo on the island.
Production on the film shut down after Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) had already been cast as Kaneda. In addition, there were talks to bring on Kristen Stewart, Gary Oldman, and Helena Bonham Carter.
The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine’s Heat Vision blog reported in 2012 that production ceased due to “casting and budgetary issues.” According to insiders, if the project’s issues cannot be resolved, it “could end up being shelved entirely.” No new developments in the project have since been announced, and director Collet-Serra signed on to direct Dark Castle Productions’ Non-Stop film, which is slated for release this year.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-08-02/variety/live-action-akira-project-in-talks-for-revival
[size=20]Variety: Live-Action Akira Project in Talks for Revival[/size]
posted on 2013-08-02 01:50 EDT
Warner in discussions to bring back director Jaume Collet-Serra to stalled project
The entertainment trade magazine Variety reported on Wednesday that director Jaume Collet-Serra is in talks to return to the stalled live-action Akira film project. Variety stated that if he returns, Collet-Serra would direct Warner Brothers’ adaptation in Spring 2014, after he finishes the Run All Night film with Liam Neesen, Joel Kinnaman, and Ed Harris.
The New York magazine’s Vulture blog reported last year that the live-action Akira project stalled when it was considered by Warner to be too costly at US$90 million. The blog added that the studio’s plan was to have Collet-Serra direct another film or films, and then return to the live-action Akira project with a lower budget.
Collet-Serra was tied to other projects, but he wrapped Non-Stop, another film which opens in February with Neesen in the lead role.
If the live-action film project is revived, Akira manga creator and anime director Katsuhiro Otomo will still oversee the project as an executive producer. Producers include Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran with Appian Way and Mad Chance’s Andrew Lazar. Garrett Hedlund was originally cast as the film’s lead, but it is unknown if he will still star if the project returns.
Variety added that Warner Bros. approached other directors, including Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish), to take over for Collet-Serra after the studio found the project too expensive. However, the news source said that “the studio was still in love with Collet-Serra’s vision, and sources say the director found time in his schedule as well as a new way to approach the adaptation that would meet the studio’s budget request.”
The script was being reworked after the project stalled. One of the screenwriters, Gary Whitta, detailed an earlier draft of the script and casting choices in an interview with film website Collider in May. Variety also described the project’s story: “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.”