Akira due for two live-action films.

[Rostum]

WB takes franchise turn with 'Akira'
Studio to adapt graphic novel
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Warner Bros. will turn anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo's six-volume graphic novel "Akira" into two live-action feature films, the first of which is being fast tracked for release in summer 2009. Legendary will co-finance with WB.

Each feature will be based on three of the books in Otomo's series. The story takes place in New Manhattan, a metropolis that was rebuilt after being destroyed 31 years earlier. Otomo will exec produce the films.

Graphic novel was first adapted for the bigscreen in 1988 as a popular animated film which Otomo directed.

Studio has closed a seven-figure rights acquisition deal with manga publisher Kodansha and has set Ruairi Robinson to direct a script by Gary Whitta ("Book of Eli"). Andrew Lazar's Mad Chance will produce with Appian Way's Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson.

WB had the "Akira" rights several years ago only to let them lapse and then recapture them in a spirited bidding battle.

Robinson, an Irish helmer who has been Oscar nominated for his short film and commercials work, is making his feature debut.

The project was brought in by exec veep Greg Silverman, who has supervised "300" and "Batman Begins."

Lazar is producer on the WB comedy "Get Smart," and he's about to start production on the Jim Carrey starrer "I Love You Phillip Morris" for EuropaCorp.

Appian Way is producing the John Cusack starrer "The Factory" for WB and Dark Castle.

-Variety

Hmm.

[Bahamut2000X]

I'm pumped. I enjoyed the first Akira movie when a friend showed it to me out of the blue a few years back. It'll be interesting how they do it in live action this time.

It'll be a good excuse to watch the anime movie again.

[Elly]

i dunno, they're already messing with the story by changing the location from Neo Tokyo to New Manhattan... leaves the question what else will they change to make it "more marketable to the western audience"... gawd i hope they don't change all their names and have the teenaged characters played by 30 year olds... or just as bad mess with the design of Kanada's bike...

[XxSephirothxX]

Live action will almost certainly be dreadful, but who knows. 300 and Batman Begins are solid cred. It'll be interesting to see how closely it follows the manga, since the original movie adaptation obviously hardly did at all.

[Captain Maxx Power]

Live action will almost certainly be dreadful, but who knows. 300 and Batman Begins are solid cred. It'll be interesting to see how closely it follows the manga, since the original movie adaptation obviously hardly did at all.

If it followed the Manga it would be about ten hours long and even more severely messed up.

Personally I believe the ending will be changed to Kaneda finding a cure for Tetsuyo that turns him into a superhero and the pair end up having a Saturday Morning kid-friendly television series together.

[Shoeberto]

I don't forsee this ending well at all.

[Bahamut2000X]

Ah geez I didn't know so much more about the series then watching the anime movie. Now reading everyone's comments has dashed my hopes for a good movie.

[Peegee]

Akira

Is a naked boy

I guarantee the movie will suck based on the above statement and the implications you are already realizing.

[Namelessfengir]

this is gonna suck ill probably watch it and then burn out my eyes