Gary Oldman bails on Akira, Ken Watanabe in talks to fill in

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

So the buzz surrounding AKIRA looks like it’s so bad it’s even scared off Gary Oldman. The actor was in talks to star as the Colonel in the film but officially backed out of the film this past weekend. Was it the Kristen Stewart news that did him in? We hear ya, Gary, we hear ya…

But to replace Oldman in the film, Warner Bros. is – get this – in talks with someone of actual Japanese descent. Ken Watanabe, Oldman’s co-star in BATMAN BEGINS, is in talks to fill in for Oldman in the film.

I’m conflicted as to how I should take this news. On the one hand, Watanabe is actually a much better Colonel. The dude is a big, strong dude and Oldman is a lot of things, but big and strong aren’t his forte. Watanabe looks and feels much more like the original Colonel and that’s a good thing. But Gary Oldman is just the latest of many actors to publicly pass on AKIRA.

Even up-and-comer Ezra Miller, the first piece of rumored casting that had me legitimately excited, passed on the film and later said, “That, I can assure you, will not be a reality.”

Llsten, I want AKIRA to succeed. I want this to be a good film. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see how badly its been handled. I have to think that if the script was any good, some of the actors would stick.