and now i need to change my pants...

half because it could be the most awesome undertaking ever and half becuase i'm scared how badly they're going to fuck this up

The fact that they are trying to put something this big out by next summer is either great or awful. Awful because they are going to rush through the designs and the effects... or Great because they're just gonna use all the designs from the comic as the template for the movie and they can get crackin on it immediately. That said, I have no idea how to turn that comic into a movie. Otomo himself did the film version and had to cut a ton out of it.

while it's hard to argue that there's anyone better to do this than the original creator (though obviously, he won't be alone), it's hard to imagine live-action being an improvement over the anime.

oh, also:

KANEEEEEEEEDAAAAAAAA!!!!

TETSUOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

KANEEEEEEEEDAAAAAAAA!!!!

Oh and ExtraCrispy.. if you're reading this I don't think there is any coincidence between this news coming a few months after Kanye's video. So we can either thank or curse him for that when the film comes out. ;)

@Garrison Dean: they completely changed the main character the first time they made it a movie. the manga is very focused on kaneda while the film is mostly about tetsuo.

the manga features a fairly strong break point about half way through so i have a feeling i know what the climax of both movies will be already. although that depends greatly on how literally they copy the plot of the manga, and the first movie actually borrowed very few polt points.

the artistic direction of the visuals in the manga is very easy to transfer to an animated film since both mediums are essentially drawn. it will be interesting to see if they try to match the artistic direction of the manga or the plot sequencing or both.

I really really really really hope they dont screw this up

rumors as to who is playing tetsuo and kaneda: joseph gordon-levitt and leonardo dicaprio, respectively.

This sounds pretty bad-ass... though I'd rather see a proven director with a rep for strong visuals attached to it. Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro would have been good choices.

@Garrison Dean: As long as Kanye's not on the soundtrack. :)

I am Tetsuo...to get the I Am Legend treatment. Blech.

Are you kidding me? Are there ANY original ideas these days, or must hack directors just re-hash the classics to make money off of the fanboys.

There is nothing wrong with Akira, and no FUCKING reason to make it live action, period.

You don't re-make good movies.

how could they not screw this up?...seriously
theyve already moved the entire thing from neo-tokyo to new manhatten.
after all, they couldnt possibly base a movie in another country could they? regardless of how its screws the storyline.
my bet is it comes out looking like deathrace 2000 without as much humour.

Will this will be the new trend? From remaking old films to making movies based on old TV shows to making movies based on video games to making live action versions of cartoons to making live action versions of anime.

Maybe we can get Uwe Boll to direct a live action tentacle porn film based on a dating sim.

If I were going to make a live action anime, I might take a shot at Vampire Hunter D. Short and simple with a good atmosphere.

Putting plot sequencing issues aside, I'm trying to imagine some of the animation such as the bridge collapse or the scenes of the buildings being hit by a wall of energy being topped by gaudy CGI and it's just not working. Even if the acting and directing is superb, it won't fit together as well. In some cases animation makes it easier to suspend disbelief and take a movie for what it is by removing the line between actors on a set and the artificial imagery that is present in live-action movies. Even working on the assumption that the live-action version will be fantastic, I think that Akira will be a good example of this.

@extracrispy: I'd also rather see a proven directer with a rep for strong visuals attached to the project but i think peter jackson or guillermo del toro would be poor choices. while they both have a penchant for producing strong visuals in movies they also both have fairly specific idioms that lie well out outside of what i would consider the visual style of akira to be. that said i have no idea who to suggest in place of them.

@tetracycloide: Yeah I've read some of the comic, but damn it if it isn't long. I have a couple of the books, but at like 25-30 a pop they were a bit beyond my price range when they were out. I read enough to tell that they were way more involved than the movie. I do like that Otomo did the movie because it makes you respect what he did with it was an iteration of his ideas. Interesting about the book being more Kaneda though.

More than anything I just want to see a live action version (probably CG) of the bike scenes.

@the intrepid spaceman spiff: ? I just checked IMDM, and the listings for both actors doesn't mention "Akira" for 2009.

@Machete_Bear: i agree what would be nice is a AKIRA 2 animated movie

@tetracycloide: Honestly, my pick? I know he's supposed to be doing HALO, but that Neil Blokamp gent. He hasn't proved himself with a full length yet, but those short films prove he has the visual chops to deal with a high tech glorious/trashed future. Del Toro, and Jackson make pretty films, but I'd hand "Steamboy" over to them as they work better with more organic, fantasy, and historical type elements.

@The_Real_Quiet_Desperation:

What, you're SHOCKED? One of the dirtiest words in Hollywood is 'Originality.' Puh-LEAZ...

I'm going to sit the rest of this one out...I can't stop crying...

@Garrison Dean: del toro and jackson are both great but their visual style is distinctly laced with effects. more importantly they use visual effects to create characters very well, which is not something that really needs to be done in akira because all of the characters are actual people. my pick would be a director god and producing a story out of conflics between very distinct and well written characters more than someone with major effects experience so i'd say david cronenburg. i hope that the visual effects for the psychic explosions where as understaded as possible because they're not at all what the story is about, which contrasts starkly with jackson's and toro's work where the effects play a major role in actual story telling.

@Machete_Bear: If they are actually fiming the Manga instead of the Anime, then it is original since the Anime has little to do with the Manga. The Manga wasnt even finished when the Anime came out.

From the Hollywood Reporter: "The new story moves the action to New Manhattan."

Well, that doesn't sound promising.

@tetracycloide: Cronenberg, good choice. I'm curious if he could handle a massive budget big effects film. I think of Dune, and what that did to Lynch, but I dig Cronenberg. It made me think of another great Sci-Fi, story/character driven director, who can also produce great effects. My personal Dutch god, Paul Verhoeven.

@extracrispy: Uh oh spaghettios.

Hm, this could be stellar or...horrifically bad. I mean, if this turned out well, it might open the doors for more Anime to come stateside, possibly due to increased interest. On the other hand, it will probably just deter even more people. Huzzah.

*Waits for them to cast Hayden Christensen as the whiny, suddenly-caucasian Tetsuo*

Oh, forgot to mention... Leonardo DeCaprio's production company, Appian Way, is producing. So chances are pretty good he'll star.

I'm actually much more enthused by the live action Robotech project than this. Robotech translates better as a live action movie than Akira, I'm thinking. As for additional cries that there's nothing original in cinema anymore; there's good reason. Movies are just to expensive for anyone to make big budget pics with unproven concepts. Modus operandi now is to take proven original material from mediums such as comics and literature (as well as previously released films) and adapt it to the screen with built in audiences and vetted concepts. Indie filmakers are more than welcome to do new material, they just need to do it with budgets smaller than 30 million. Production companies are not and will not drop 160 million on a spec script - no matter how genius.

the tagline is going to be a bitch.

"Neo-Manhattan is about to E-X-P-L-O...fuck, we ran out of space."

@Frozen-Tex: so says aintitcool.com

@tetracycloide: I like that Blade Runner guy. What's his name. Scott?

AINO.

Will suck.

I wonder if two movies means they can cover all six books. That would be truly enjoyable.

@the intrepid spaceman spiff: So it does! I know he looks like he's 12, but isn't Dicaprio a little old for Kaneda? The anime/manga makes Kaneda and Tetsuo look like teenagers.

While the idea of a live-action remake of a classic animated film is troubling (as it almost always is), I'm not especially bothered by the choice of director, Ruairi Robinson. While he doesn't have much under his belt, I did see a short film he created called "The Silent City". His writing was unimpressive, but the cinematography was superb and the art direction was original and powerful. With a good script, cast, and crew, I think he actually has a shot at doing good work here. You can watch the film here:

[www.ruairirobinson.com]

I was going to suggest Blokamp would be a fine choice, but Garrison Dean beat me to it.

Anyway, remember- some maroon on here stated that all Japanese art is crap, so what are we really worrying about?

@Frozen-Tex: Isn't Dicaprio a little, uhh, caucasian to play Kaneda?

@extracrispy: Not if it's true that it's gonna be set in New York.

What would really be nice would be someone teaching Katsuhiro Otomo some basic story telling skills. Akira looks cool and all, as did Steam Boy but neither made a lick of sense, story wise. I'm sure this will be improved by Hollywood though as they always make sure the plot works before filming.

@The_Real_Quiet_Desperation:

Live action Urotsukidōji!

Never did understand what the big thing about Akira was, except that it hit first for the U.S.. There's a lot of anime I'd prefer to see live-action versions of first.

Two movies means unabridged shouting sessions between Kaneda and Tetsuo. YES!

Really, though, as a fan of the manga, it will be nice to see a movie that actually involves the titular character. I imagine that will be happening in this particular series of movies.

@Gyrus: Akira was kind of a rushed work as a movie. Read the manga if you want the story to make sense. Otherwise, fitting six volumes (at the time of production, I think it was only four or five at best) into two hours is a bit...it's a bit much, y'know?

SUCKS

@Garrison Dean: hollow man and starship troopers were both movies i enjoyed but they were both enjoyable for characteristics i'd prefer were not in any iteration of akira.

@braak: i think he would be an excellent choice if the primary goal was to replicate the superb integration of music into the atmosphere of the original film. this is an aspect of the production that i hadn't yet considered so i'm glad you brought it up. my endorsement for ridley scott as dream director would have to come with the condition that russell crowe and denzel washington not be involved. they hook up with scott often in films, typically to great success, but neither belong in akira.

I was saying Booo-urns. I think we all know that this is going to suck. I can't think of a single remake that is better than the original. Who's going to able to see past Leo? Don't wanna play the card, but this kind of choice is essentially racist. You can't even argue its an economic decision. With the acclaim Akira has gotten over the years ANY new movie staring anyone would pretty much be a bankable proposition for at least a few weekends in the summer.

Neo Manhatten, more like neo-bullshit! A major aspect of Akira (the anime at least) was that it took place in Japan, you know the place where nuclear bombs have gone off before. Same deal as Godzilla. Take out that subtext and you've taken away a major part of the atmosphere of the film. The protests, the crime, the violence, for Japan that is some serious dystopian shit, especially back in the heady stable days of the 80's. Move it to New York and its basically just another day; the protests, social instability and so on just don't have the same resonance.

I think we as responsible nerds need to boycott this crappolla. I'm getting pretty fed up with the smug assumptions in Hollywood that if they only make any sci-fi project, no matter how shitty and unoriginal, I'll plunk down my cash. How about giving some new writers and ideas a chance?

@tetracycloide: I know what you're getting at, but go watch some of his Dutch films, specifically Soldier of Orange to see that he can deal with both large plots and different tones that aren't so over the top as his American movies were.

That reminds me... When are we going to get battery powered laser bazookas?

@FrankenPC: I want Kaneda's motorbike.

@tetracycloide re: "Japan, you know the place where nuclear bombs have gone off before." i think that NY had two plane-shaped bombs go off in it. I don't want to get into some kind of apocolyptic pissing-contest, but the Trade Center attack might have some NYers feeling like they are post-apocolyptic.

but AMEN to boycotting crappolla. a live-action AKIRA will SUCK. The original is a strange and exhilarating work of art as-is; they should leave it be and tell some other explosion movie.

@FrankenPC: Agreed, I just wanna see a RL version of that bike.