RUMOR CONTROL...THESE ARE THE FACTS

[Matt]

Oh I know, I know. In truth, all of that 'Speed Racer/Fifth Element' ribbing makes me laugh like hell.

[Martin]

I WANT BOTH THE FAT KID AND THE CHIMP AS TETSUO

[Timothy225]

CHRISTINA RICCI AS KANEDA! JUST BECAUSE!

[Ed Hocken]

That really bombastic british guy as the lead scientist or some shit.

[FilmNerdJamie]

And Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.

[Matt]

This needs to be a 3 hour movie in order to work. There's simply too much story for a 2 hour movie to do right...the anime is proof of that. I still love it (flaws and all), but it plays like a Reader's Digest condensed version of SOMETHING BIG AND EPIC...which it is.

If they're gonna go through with this, they really need to do the following:
- use the anime film as a visual reference only.
- go back to the original books (which are GREAT) and use THEM as your story referrence. Get the story right, regardless of how much screentime is required.

[Timothy225]

Maybe do this as multiple films, like Lord of the Rings. Shoot the whole shebang all at once for a year or two, then release each film every six months or so.

[Matt]

Maybe do this as multiple films, like Lord of the Rings. Shoot the whole shebang all at once for a year or two, then release each film every six months or so.

I can't see a studio taking that kind of risk with 'Akira'. LOTR had a huge, built in audience. 'Akira' is too niche to call for any kind of investment beyond one film. That's my opinion, anyways.

That being said, I agree with you in terms of needing multiple films to really do it RIGHT.

[Timothy225]

True, Matt, true, Akira is very much a niche film, and I'm surprised anyone would risk doing a live-action treatment because of that. However, done right, it'd be one hell of a franchise for the studio that pulled it off successfully. Besides, plenty of Matrix fans out there looking for something new.

Another thing that bugs me, Akira was very Japanese in it's setting (Neo Tokyo), cultural references and theme, and I feel a lot might be lost if they transfer this to an all American city (Neo Los Angeles isn't going to do it for me, folks, sorry).

[nerdious dorkus]

From what I read, there was going to be two films made.

[nerdious dorkus]

Another thing that bugs me, Akira was very Japanese in it's setting (Neo Tokyo), cultural references and theme, and I feel a lot might be lost if they transfer this to an all American city (Neo Los Angeles isn't going to do it for me, folks, sorry).

Fucking concurred.

[FilmNerdJamie]

The plan's been dating back to early 2008 when WB was using it as a back-up for their (at the time) non-existent summer 2009 lineup for Akira to be a two-film series.

[Matt]

Another thing that bugs me, Akira was very Japanese in it's setting (Neo Tokyo), cultural references and theme, and I feel a lot might be lost if they transfer this to an all American city (Neo Los Angeles isn't going to do it for me, folks, sorry).

Yeah, that bothers me as well. 'Akira' is very, very Japanese in its aesthetic, so it would take some major tinkering to make it 'work' within a Western context.

My guesses for what will happen with the American version:
- set it in L.A. and ripoff the 'Blade Runner' look.
- remove all of the socio-political elements...it'll be a 'military run amok' kind of movie with the Colonel as an unambiguous bad guy.
- focus on the action and the special effects.

Whatever happens, they'll totally ignore what happened with 'Babylon A.D.' and repeat the same mistakes.

[Timothy225]

If I had it my way, WB would team up with Sony, shoot the whole thing in Japan with a Japanese cast (fuck dubbing! SUBTITLES blast it!), cast the American parts with big American names, and make it a three picture deal. Do this shit right, yo.

Now where's my fucking Elric films?

[Matt]

Now where's my fucking Elric films?

*mournbladefist*

I still say that Guillermo Del Toro would knock an Elric trilogy right out of the park. I even know exactly how I'd do it as a trilogy, storywise.