Live-Action Akira Green-lit

While this by all means seems as bad as Mario (the movie), actually what am I talking about that film was awesome and better then a Mario film has any right to actually be. I have got to the point when I just think "who actually cares if they make a crap film or not", why the outage? Its not the original Akira and that will never change, its not defiling our classic. Its just gonna be an American movie take on it, and can do very little harm.

I don't know about you lot, but I would pay good money to see Akira with Zak Efron as Kanada and Joaquin Phoenix as Tetsuo. It would utterly brilliant....

And possibly even eclipse the original :eek:
 
Well, now that money has finally been laid down for what can ONLY be a bastardised version of the source material...

Otomo's invovlement as executive producer has, I believe, been a constant feature of this production. I'm pretty sure it won't have a huge bearing on the project, alas.

There's one way to do this right, as I've said ad infinutum whever the project has come up for discussion. Hollywood can be DEPENDED ON not to take that route.

No power in Heaven or on Earth will make me spend time or money on this. I have the books and the anime. That's enough for me.
 
^
Definitely. I think everyone here is aware of the fact that a Hollywood Bleach adaptation can only stand to improve on the source material.
 
vashdaman said:
^
Definitely. I think everyone here is aware of the fact that a Hollywood Bleach adaptation can only stand to improve on the source material.
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How so? Sure, story wise, it can't do much worse (except make it an entire hour and a half of IchiRuki), but some things, like the mid-air battles and the special moves which look okay in animation would look god-awful in live action xD
 
Joshawott said:
vashdaman said:
^
Definitely. I think everyone here is aware of the fact that a Hollywood Bleach adaptation can only stand to improve on the source material.
Click to expand...
How so? Sure, story wise, it can't do much worse (except make it an entire hour and a half of IchiRuki), but some things, like the mid-air battles and the special moves which look okay in animation would look god-awful in live action xD
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Not if it had a good budget...but I don't know of any anime adaptation to date that has been made with a worthy budget (Dragon Ball surely wasn't,was it?)

Anyway I still stick to my original line, give me Zak Effron and joaquin phoenix as Kanada and Tetsuo respectively and I will actively support your disturbed frankenstein creation, Warner.

10frsih.png


I like the idea of Tetsuo with a beard.
 
vashdaman said:
Anyway I still stick to my original line, give me Zak Effron and joaquin phoenix as Kanada and Tetsuo respectively and I will actively support your disturbed frankenstein creation, Warner.
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Alternatively, Warner Bros could invest the money that this story is WORTH, do it PROPERLY, in the correct setting, with a cast of unknowns / Japanese / Japanes-American actors, attach a director who ISN'T DIABOLICALLY INEPT, and...

Ahh, who the hell am I kidding? This movie is going to be an absolute travesty.

I'm done with this thread now - lest I start to look like a willful troll.
 
The thing about the Live-Action version of Akira that is keeping me interested for the moment is that the movie is going to be completely based on all 6 Volumes of the Manga. The film is going to be split into 2 parts, the 1st part based on the Volumes 1-3 of the Manga and the 2nd part based on the Volumes 4-6 of the Manga. Also, apparantly, both films are going to have huge big budget to make it as faithful to the Manga as possible.

Personally I think they've made the right choice and a good move in adapting the Manga into a live-action movie rather than the Anime. Personally I think the Manga is 10 times much much better than the Anime. The Manga had better character designs, better story, more characters and better character development and much more action, unlike the Anime which was a watered down, incomplete and very dissapointing looking adaption of the Manga.

This is my opinion though.
 
I share HdE's cynicism. I don't have a problem with a Hollywood live-action adaptation just so long as it is done right and achieves a degree of originality whilst maintaining links with the source. This adaptation looks underfunded and they have removed Neo-Tokyo and replaced it with New Manhattan. The director involved, Jaume Collet-Serra, has a solid track record but I can't say whether he, or the team he works with, would be able to make the changes compelling and original enough to justify a movie.

There's no point in complaining. Like the Dragon Ball movie I'll just ignore it.
 
Apparantly, Kaneda and Tetsuo's ages have been moved up to the mid 20's range, hence the reason why Kaneda was offered to Leonard DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, Garrett Hedlund, Justin Timberlake, Joaquin Phoenix, Chris Pine and even Keanu Reeves (who apparantly turned it down). Whilst Tetsuo was offered to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy. This way these actors can actually get away in playing someone younger but not too young.

Also, apparantly, Morgan Freeman was offered the role to play The Colonel.
 
You know I said I was done with this thread?

Just forget I said that for a second.

'Under-funded' is right. To put the scenes from the manga onto the screen and present them in a way that does the original material justice is just... not likely to happen. Hollywood couldn't do it with Watchmen. They won't do it here.

And here's the thing, Yethboth - not wanting to appear that I'm picking on you (because I'm really not) but ALL of those actors are just too damned old for the parts. Without exception.

Morgan Freeman as the Colonel was and always would be a terrible idea. Transplanting the story to Manhattan is a terrible idea. There's even a part of me that thinks that trying to pitch this story to an audience used to traditional blockbuster fare is a terrible idea. So much of it is inevitably going to be lost.

Hollywood SHOULD have forgotten all about this and tried a little harder with the Cowboy Bebop movie. Bottom line is, the funding just isn't there to do the movie justice. It's already crippled before it gets off the starting block.

Like Genkina, I'll be ignoring this movie when it arrives. I have the manga, and a damned fine movie that I can go back to whenever i want to (and I frequently do), so that'll do for me. If there's any justice, the movie will at least nudge a few folks in the direction of those works.

We simply CANNOT forget that Akira is one of, if not THE best comic works in existence. It's a powerhouse of storytelling, it's subtly nuanced, and it contains a whole host of subtexts and themes that make it compelling and relevant reading today.

Adapting it and trying to make the aspects that are deemed too challenging to a wider audience somehow acceptable to them doesn't cut it. It wouldn't cut it if they tried to do it (as they have done) with other literary works.

There's few things on the face of this earth that make me fly into a rage of indignation, but this is a rare example. I don't want this movie one bit. Not at all. Not as it's likely to be presented to us, anyway.

So... yeah. Forgive me, peeps. If any of you guys find it interesting, or are curious, I have no problem with that. There's bound to be somebody who wants that movie, and that's fine.

But me? I'm done.
 
The mention of Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham-Carter having roles in this movie has made me slightly more interested in this, but again these are just rumours but It's definitely better than hearing Keanu Reeves being rumoured to be signed up for Akira just like with every other rumoured hollywood manga/anime adaptation
 
Wait! Now it might have Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman alongside Zak Effron and Joaquin Phoenix. This just keeps getting better and better. Seriously if their going to do it it might as well be a unique (and slightly disturbed) take on Akira. Lets be honest a Hollywood adaptation set in Japan and starring unknown Japanese-American actors was never going to happen nor end well.

Its true the director does seem to have a pretty lack lustre track record so far. But the moment you expect a legitimately good Hollywood adaptation of an anime like Akira you've already lost.
 
Okay, I'll bite.

vashdaman said:
Lets be honest a Hollywood adaptation set in Japan and starring unknown Japanese-American actors was never going to happen nor end well.
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The sad thing here is that anyone I've spoken to who acknowledges this is the way to tell the story KNOWS that.

Bottom line, Hollywood would be better of using Akira as a template for another movie. One that does not bear the same name, or purport to show us the same characters.

It's been said before, but this is a story that has some very Japanese roots. It deals with certain issues froma Japanese viewpoint. And it's about Japanese people.

So, really, while the broader, more action oriented side fo the story may translate okay, there's a lot that won't.

So, we can kinda GUARANTEE that whatever version Hollywood gives us is going to be twisted. That's exactly why so many people are so lacking in enthusiasm for it.
 
HdE said:
Bottom line, Hollywood would be better of using Akira as a template for another movie. One that does not bear the same name, or purport to show us the same characters.
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Well, exactly. But of course it HAS to be a straight adaptation of Akira because WB want to cash in on the popularity of the anime and manga - which leaves an unpleasant taste.
 
HdE said:
Okay, I'll bite.

vashdaman said:
Lets be honest a Hollywood adaptation set in Japan and starring unknown Japanese-American actors was never going to happen nor end well.
Click to expand...

The sad thing here is that anyone I've spoken to who acknowledges this is the way to tell the story KNOWS that.

Bottom line, Hollywood would be better of using Akira as a template for another movie. One that does not bear the same name, or purport to show us the same characters.

It's been said before, but this is a story that has some very Japanese roots. It deals with certain issues froma Japanese viewpoint. And it's about Japanese people.

So, really, while the broader, more action oriented side fo the story may translate okay, there's a lot that won't.

So, we can kinda GUARANTEE that whatever version Hollywood gives us is going to be twisted. That's exactly why so many people are so lacking in enthusiasm for it.
Click to expand...

I completely agree, it is a uniquely Japanese movie and its unlikely Hollywood would ever get it right (though I'm sceptical a Japanese live action adaptation would be a whole lot better either to be honest). But the way this one looks to be going, it's almost is like their just using it as a template (the teenagers of the anime turning into 30 plus year old men, Morgan Freeman as the general, it being set in New York, the characters will surely have all their names changed too). In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the title changed from Akira to Andrew (and thus the monopoly continues) by the end.

This will probably bare no resemblance what so ever to Akira and just be an hilarious mess. I can see no reason to be bitter.
 
Gary Oldman, I could see as the Colonel (or possibly Ryu, if they're hanging on to Morgan Freeman), but I have trouble understanding where Helena Bonham-Carter would fit into things.

Surely not Lady Miyako?
 
Wha!? Your telling me that guy with the afro was a Lady! Wow I never knew.

Actually I think Helena Bonham-Carter could probably pull that role off.
 
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