I am sure most of us are rather unhappy about the upcoming AKIRA live-action adaptation. It took awhile to get off the ground, and now it seems it will actually be going ahead.
A casting call has gone out, which reveals the apparent plot to the film. It also states that Kristen Stewart, Garrett Hedlund and Ken Watanabe have been cast in the roles of Ky, Kaneda and The Colonel respectively. Now we heard buzzes about these actors but are they actually signed on? The casting call also reveals Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Miyako, another rumoured but not confirmed name. We do know for sure that Jaume Collet-Serra will be at the helm and none other than Leonardo DiCaprio on board as Producer.
Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.
Whether or not you are behind this, the film is going to happen. The synopsis does not sound too far off the original source material, I guess that is promising. We shall sit and wait to see whether this cast is actually signed on, or whether the call sheet just got a head of themselves.
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed