Someone at Warner Bros. must have really liked THE BOOK OF ELI, because according to Vulture, the studio is looking at its directors, the Hughes brothers, to helm the apparently not dead live-action remake of AKIRA. Ohhh boy.
The film has been in development limbo for quite some time, and so a significant move forward like this is a pretty big surprise. There is a script already, written by IRON MAN’s Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, and at one point you’ll remember Leonardo DiCaprio was circling the project. He still is, in a way, as his company, Appian Way, is producing, but I wouldn’t be holding out hope for him to star.
I’m going to throw it out there that I think this is a pretty terrible idea, as ELI completely underwhelmed me, and the Hughes’ last feature before that was the eh-it’s-alright FROM HELL wayyyy back in 2001. I think that one of the best animated films ever made deserves a bit more talent involved, and I don’t think Team Hughes is up to job. This project seems much more suited to someone like Zach Snyder or the Wachowskis, and I’m very skeptical of what this iteration will bring if the Hughes deal is finalized.
In addition to this news, the studio is also saying they’re going to cut the movie in half, as it’s quite difficult to cram a 2,182 page novel into one film, and the first part would be due out sometime next year.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on all this.
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