Akira comes to life | Movie News

Akira comes to life
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by: Dave Davis Feb. 20, 2008

Neo-Tokyo is about to EXPLODE! And the guy with his hand on the detonator is... Ruairi Robinson?

As was rumored several months ago by the fine freaks at Bloody Disgusting, Irish director Ruairi Robinson will be bringing Katsuhiro Ôtomo's post-apocalyptic AKIRA from printed page and animation cel to human and CGI life. Warner Bros. plans to turn the seemingly endless manga series into two live-action features, the first of which is due in Summer 2009. The new flick reportedly shifts the setting to a devastated and reconstructed Manhattan.

Director Steve Norrington (BLADE, LXG) was involved in the project years ago before he entered semi-retirement and the property went into limbo. Robinson, who is making his feature debut, reportedly landed the job based on his impressive dystopic sci-fi short THE SILENT CITY, which you can watch RIGHT HERE.

AKIRA follows a gang of superbike-riding pill-eating teens (these kids love pills so much, they wear clothing with pictures of pills on them, delicious pills) who roam the futuristic roads fighting with rivals and screaming a lot. One of the members gets caught up in a government experiment and develops psychic powers, leading to a massive destructive battle with the gang's leader.

Source: Variety

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Extra Tidbit: Tetsuooooooooooooooooo!!!!!! And so on.

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mcfly24
2:58PM on 02/22/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
WTF Tetsuooooooooooooo!
I really think they are half-assing this. Put a veteran director with experience in sci-fi on this and call it a day. Newbies don't get it right the first time. I love Akira, and if they mess it up, I'll be the loudest one in their face about it. The matrix 3 setups the 2 guys fighting in midair fight that the end of akira would need. The military/politic bickering is revelant and everyone is
I really think they are half-assing this. Put a veteran director with experience in sci-fi on this and call it a day. Newbies don't get it right the first time. I love Akira, and if they mess it up, I'll be the loudest one in their face about it. The matrix 3 setups the 2 guys fighting in midair fight that the end of akira would need. The military/politic bickering is revelant and everyone is doing movies about the end of the world, so...
 
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Jack Grimaldi
9:19PM on 02/21/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
why would they even do this!?!?! I love Akira. There's no reason they need to make it live action. it was awesome because it was a ground breaking ANIME movie.

What the fuck!
why would they even do this!?!?! I love Akira. There's no reason they need to make it live action. it was awesome because it was a ground breaking ANIME movie.

What the fuck!
 
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ruskwerk
8:54AM on 02/21/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I was more excited when Steve Norrington was planning to direct this.... I just hope Mr. Robinson can pull it off....... and why do they have to change the setting? and y does it have to be 2 live action movies? Is this gonna be like Kill Bill? If Warner is going to change some things, it would be better if Tetsuo is going to have some extra abilities like K999, but i guess that wouldn't be right
I was more excited when Steve Norrington was planning to direct this.... I just hope Mr. Robinson can pull it off....... and why do they have to change the setting? and y does it have to be 2 live action movies? Is this gonna be like Kill Bill? If Warner is going to change some things, it would be better if Tetsuo is going to have some extra abilities like K999, but i guess that wouldn't be right since Tetsuo first came out and K999 is somewhat created as a tribute to Tetsuo.....
 
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Trans-Warp
6:21AM on 02/21/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
KANEDA!!!
I hope the DBZ movie flops and they stop right there in transforming manga/anime into movies... Some things are better left in 2D.
I hope the DBZ movie flops and they stop right there in transforming manga/anime into movies... Some things are better left in 2D.
 
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afulinara
5:34AM on 02/21/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
No good will come of this. This is will end up just like Roland Emmerich's "Godzilla," except i'll actually care.
No good will come of this. This is will end up just like Roland Emmerich's "Godzilla," except i'll actually care.
 
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rilocay
11:46PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I want this to be great. But it need's to be perfect. I'm no so sure how this will work (other than it being better than try-hard kanye's daft rip-off stronger clip), but you never know! But yeah, I spose if it were ameircan's in Tokyo it'd be odd...so i understand nyc. My bet is apart from the statue of liberty, we won't recognise the city at all though!
I want this to be great. But it need's to be perfect. I'm no so sure how this will work (other than it being better than try-hard kanye's daft rip-off stronger clip), but you never know! But yeah, I spose if it were ameircan's in Tokyo it'd be odd...so i understand nyc. My bet is apart from the statue of liberty, we won't recognise the city at all though!
 
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Lionetti
11:13PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I don't know...
I want to see what this guy does with a serious budget, and a studio behind him. But, the gamble is Akira...hmmm. That's a serious gamble. I haven't felt like this since news hit that Zack Snyder was going to do the DAWN remake, and look what he brought to the table for us, I think I'm going to have Ruairi Robinson's back on this. I got a good feeling about'em. What I am iffy about is the story
I want to see what this guy does with a serious budget, and a studio behind him. But, the gamble is Akira...hmmm. That's a serious gamble. I haven't felt like this since news hit that Zack Snyder was going to do the DAWN remake, and look what he brought to the table for us, I think I'm going to have Ruairi Robinson's back on this. I got a good feeling about'em. What I am iffy about is the story set in NYC, and seeing Japanese characters converted into a bunch of snotty american cool kids. I hope they take a more imaginative, and colorful approach with there casting, and overall production design, or this will be some MTV garbage. I pray that this has foreign influence other than the director. Mr. Robinson's got his hands full on this one, good luck, and good night.
 
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MrMassive
10:40PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
DAMN IT!!!!
I was happy when I thought this project was dead. When was the last time hollywood produced an adaptation like this and it turned out well? That's not even factoring in the incredible complexities that a film like this would involve. I would like nothing more than for this to happen and turn out to be just as awesome as the original. But reality leads me to believe otherwise.
I was happy when I thought this project was dead. When was the last time hollywood produced an adaptation like this and it turned out well? That's not even factoring in the incredible complexities that a film like this would involve. I would like nothing more than for this to happen and turn out to be just as awesome as the original. But reality leads me to believe otherwise.
 
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tylerj
9:17PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
It's about time!

but seriously... NYC? please no.
It's about time!

but seriously... NYC? please no.
 
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Obergeist
9:15PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Neo-Tokyo
It has to be Neo-Tokyo. It just wouldn't feel right.

Aint It Cool says that Leonardo Dicaprio is producing and "have it on good authority that he is also set to star as the lead, Kaneda". So I guess thats something.
It has to be Neo-Tokyo. It just wouldn't feel right.

Aint It Cool says that Leonardo Dicaprio is producing and "have it on good authority that he is also set to star as the lead, Kaneda". So I guess thats something.
 
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Vash_4_Prez
9:12PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
Ignore the fact that this is a Japanese epic being recreated by an Irish director who's going to set it in an American city. That said, it's just certain things that you can only do with animation, and Akira is filled with those kinds of things.
Ignore the fact that this is a Japanese epic being recreated by an Irish director who's going to set it in an American city. That said, it's just certain things that you can only do with animation, and Akira is filled with those kinds of things.
 
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Vnqshr
7:47PM on 02/20/2008 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I thought The Silent City was alright, it was shot nicely, but aside from that didn't interest me too much.
Akira is a classic though, so I'm not sure I'll be ok with this until I hear casting, see photos/trailers etc.

Geez, and people thought a live action Dragon Ball Z movie was going to be bad. (although that does look BAD)
I thought The Silent City was alright, it was shot nicely, but aside from that didn't interest me too much.
Akira is a classic though, so I'm not sure I'll be ok with this until I hear casting, see photos/trailers etc.

Geez, and people thought a live action Dragon Ball Z movie was going to be bad. (although that does look BAD)
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