Taika Waititi’s Live-Action Akira Movie Scheduled To Begin Production This Year

It looks like the live-action remake of the classic 1988 animated post-apocalyptic cyberpunk movie Akira is finally set for production this year.

Discussing Film has the newest details on the Hollywood remake of Akira and according to the publication, the film is set to begin principal photography this summer somewhere in Los Angeles. According to the report, Akira is being scheduled for production beginning July 15 with Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi to helm the project. Michael Golamco has also been tasked to co-write the project together with Waititi.

"We are thrilled with the opportunity to shoot Akira in California," Ravi Mehta, Warner Bros. Pictures EVP of physical production and finance, said, discussing the tax credit that the film would receive from the state of California,"The availability of top-notch crew members, plus the wide variety of location choices and predictable weather are second to none."

Right now there's very little information about what Waititi has planned for Akira, however, the film's synopsis has the fanbase concerned that the project may very well stray from the original source material. Not only will the film switch the setting from Neo-Tokyo to Neo-Manhattan, but other major changes to the movie are going to be made as well, including changes to Akira's main characters.

While the live-action remake plans to keep the names of leads Kaneda and Tetsuo, the synopsis for the movie reveals that the project plans to change the character's affiliations. In the remake, Kaneda will no longer be the leader of a biker gang but instead, work as a bartender. Tetsuo will be made into Kaneda's brother, not his best friend. Not only that, but the film plans to add a new character named Ky Reed, a rebellion leader.

"When a young man's telekinesis is discovered by the military, he is taken in to be turned into a super weapon and his brother must race to save him before Manhattan is destroyed by his powers. Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother Tetsuo is abducted by Government agents lead by the Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City 30 years ago when it was destroyed.

Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous, but after facing 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 to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island as he did thirty years ago."

Of course, it isn't a surprise seeing fans concerned over these changes. Hollywood did the same to live-action films like Deathnote and Ghost in the Shell. Both films ended up becoming major flops.

Akira has yet to receive a release date. We'll update everyone as soon as we get word.

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