Scene Anime

Although is hasn't been formally cancelled yet, the live action adaptation of the manga by Warner BRothers is still in development hell, as JoBlo reports:

Warner Bros. has shut down the previsualization department devoted to development of an American live-action Akira movie franchise and laid off most of employees that were working on the pre-development of the picture. However, Warner reports that the film franchise, “Is still very much in the development stage,” and tentative production of the film franchise has not been formally canceled.


In a reportedly separate development, actor Keanu Reeves has formally confirmed that he was offered the leading role in Warner’s Akira movie and turned down the offer.

I have mixed feelings about any comic book or manga that WB touches, but I feel relieved that this project is not likely to come forward.

According to director Albert Hughes (The Book of Eli), Warner Brothers wants a movie that is at least PG-13, and the project will continue its development this year, with the script possibly ready in September.

"There's something about cinema — old cinema", the director says,"where I get excited about some subversive things you can do with being held down by something like that or being censored. That I kinda found to be a challenge, how can I make this feel like a rated-R movie. I look towards what [director Christopher] Nolan did with Batman. Tonally, those don't feel like PG-13 movies."

Hughes said that the trick to achieve this effect was to simplify everything for the audience, bearing in mind that certain elements of this manga are too complicated to translate them into film.

As for the possible cast, Hughes said it was too early to give names but he's looking for a young and talented unknown actor, as well as a Gary Oldman or Morgan Freeman type of actor.

(Source: ANN, Film School Rejects)

It seems that they want to take this movie seriously, but at the same time it looks like it won't be very faithful to the manga because we know what happens when directors and producers speak of "content too complicated for the audience"
O_O

Según el director Albert Hughes (El Libro de Eli), la Warner Brothers quiere una pelicula que sea como mínimo PG-13, y el proyecto seguirá su desarrollo durante este año, con el guión posiblemente listo en septiembre.

"Hay algo sobre el cine de antes," afirmó el director en una entrevista concedida por radio, "en lo que uno se emociona con ciertas cosas transgresoras que uno puede hacer sin ser censurado. Es lo que encuentro como un reto para mí, cómo hacer que esto se vea como una película R sin serlo. Es lo que hizo Christopher Nolan con Batman. Sabemos que en términos del tono, no son para nada PG-13 sino mucho más."

Luego indicó que el truco para lograr este efecto era simplificar todo para la audiencia, teniendo en cuenta que ciertos elementos de este manga son muy complicados para plasmarlos en film.

En cuanto al posible reparto de actores, Hughes dijo que era muy temprano para dar nombres, pero que busca a un actor joven, nuevo, con mucho talento y un actor veterano a lo Gary Oldman o Margan Freeman.

(fuente: ANN, Film School Rejects)

Todo parece indicar que se quieren tomar en serio esta pelicula, pero al mismo tiempo no va a ser algo muy fiel al manga porque ya sabemos lo que pasa cuando directores y productores hablan de que "es muy complicado para las audiencias"
O_O

The film adaptation by Warner Brothers will have the writer and screenwriter Albert Torres, who will work with director Albert Hughes, the latter known for films like Menace II Society, From Hell and The Book of Eli.

In the words of producer Andrew Lazar, Akira is a project that Warner executives would love to have as a franchise, as they see their high commercial and intrinsic value.

Lazar also confirmed that the first film will cover the first three volumes of the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo, and the possible sequel would cover the following three.

It seems that Warner is trying to take things seriously, although it is somewhat difficult, since they always think on commercial terms, which is what usually never works with this type of adaptations (Dragon Ball: Evolution, anyone?)

Well, it'll be a matter of crossing fingers and pray that they don't rape this manga

La adaptacion del cine llevada a cabo por Warner Brothers tendra al escritor y guionista Albert Torres, quien trabajará con el director Albert Hughes, conocido este ultimo por peliculas como Menace II Society, From Hell y El libro de Eli.

En palabras del productor Andrew Lazar, Akira es un proyecto que a los ejecutivos de la Warner les encantaria tener como franquicia, ya que ven su alto valor intrinseco y comercial.

Lazar tambien confirmo que este primer film abarcara los primeros tres volumenes del manga de Katsuhiro Otomo, y en la posible secuela pudiera abarcar los tres siguientes.

Todo parece indicar que la Warner esta tratando de tomarse las cosas en serio, aunque es algo dificil, pues como siempre piensan en el tema comercial, lo que nunca suele funcionar con este tipo de adaptaciones (cof cof Dragon Ball: Evolution cof cof)

Bueno, será cuestión de cruzar los dedos y tratar de que la pelicula no sea tan mala jejej