Looks like we weren’t the only ones impressed by Edge of Tomorrow. Recently, it was revealed that Dante Harper, the first screenwriter to work on the Tom Cruise sci-fi action-adventure, has been hired by Warner Bros. to pen the script for a live-action Akira adaptation.
The troubled project currently has Non-Stop director Jaume Collet-Serra set to helm, who previously said he’d backed away from the adaptation over concerns with the script. Evidently, Warner Bros. is still invested in moving Akira forward, and the studio has opted to stump up the cash to hire a red-hot writer to do just that. Edge of Tomorrow was a terrific, extremely well-written film, so I’m hopeful that Harper has what it takes to finally get this project off the ground.
Just looking at Akira, it’s easy to see why Warner Bros. has struggled in getting it past early development stages. Originally a hugely popular Japanese manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo, it was adapted into an animated film, also called Akira, that has reached cult status. Set in a dystopian future version of Tokyo, the plot focuses on a secret military project that turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psionic psychopath. Hardly your usual blockbuster material.
Multiple stars, including Kristen Stewart, Helena Bonham Carter, Ken Watanabe, Garrett Hedlund, Paul Dano and Ezra Miller, have been mentioned in association with Akira over the years in various roles, but it’s unknown if any of those actors are still involved.
Given how beloved Akira is around the world, not just in Japan, Warner Bros. will hopefully tread carefully with its adaptation. Collet-Serra hasn’t delivered a truly great film yet (though I did enjoy Non-Stop), so whether he’s a good choice to direct remains to be seen, but Harper’s involvement surely bodes well for the movie.
Are you looking forward to a live-action Akira adaptation? Or is this one of those cult classics that Hollywood should just back away from with both hands in the air? Let us know below!