Are These the Live-Action ‘Akira’ Casting Character Descriptions?

Savas Abadsidis July 3, 2019

Looks like Akira, the cult fave dystopian anime film based on the manga of the same name, is finally coming to the big screen.

It’s much beloved, and screwing up a live action may be punished by the fans, as Warner Bros. learned back in 2011 when it was announced that they were negotiating with actor Garrett Hedlund for the lead role.

The Hollywood Reporter said at the time:

The actor is in negotiations to star as Kaneda in Warner Bros’ adaptation of the Japanese manga classic being directed by Jaume Collet-Sera. To sum up the sprawling plot succinctly: In post-apocalyptic New Manhattan, a motorcycle gang leader (Hedlund) must stop fellow gang member and his brother from abusing his newly acquired telekinetic powers.

The movie has been long in the works, with its budget finally being approved two weeks ago, paving the way for offers to go out. Helena Bonham Carter and Gary Oldman have been approached for roles, as has Keira Knightley. Thus far, only Hedlund has engaged.

The backlash about white washing the material and casting all white actors was met with vitriol by Asian Hollywood.

Backstage revealed the casting call for a movie titled “Warner Bros. ‘Box 28’,” with its production description stating a casting for “an untitled Warner Bros. live action film.” Below the production description are nine roles looking for male and female actors to play either Japanese or Asian, English-speaking.

The second casting call is for Koichi, an Asian male lead, age 18-24 who is “forced to punch up in order to survive.” That description may be for Tetsuo Shima, who has an inferiority complex and tense relationship with Kaneda. However, we’ll have to wait until an official confirmation is made to know if the speculation turns out to be true or false.

CBR said: While that isn’t enough to confirm this is indeed a casting call for Akira, the character descriptions may have clues connecting each role to a character from the original 1985 anime, particularly the first two. The casting call for Jun is looking for an Asian male lead, age 18-24 and “the leader of a street gang of teenagers & knows how to have a good time.” This description is similar to Shotaro Kaneda, the leader of The Capsules.

Akira has been in various stages of development for years. Much like the recently released Alita: Battle Angel, Akira was first acquired by Warner Bros. in 2002. Several writers and directors have been attached to the project, including such names as Stephen Norrington, Ruairi Robinson, Allen and Albert Hughes, George Miller, Christopher Nolan, Jaume Collet-Serra and Justin Lin. Jordan Peele was offered the project at one point. However, it sounds as though Waititi will ultimately bring the film to life.

IndieWire wrote: “When Warner Bros. secured the film rights to Akira in 2002, fans waited with bated breath for the day the live-action remake would be made. They waited. And they waited. Fifteen years later, the remake still isn’t even close to being made. The numerous problems that plunged Akira into development hell range from multiple exiting directors and changing the characters’ relationships to transplanting the action to Manhattan and targeting a PG-13 rating.

“Probably the most troubling trend is that of all the names bandied about in casting, none of them are Asian. Names such as Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, James Franco, Justin Timberlake and Zac Efron were supposedly looked at for the role of Kaneda. As for Tetsuo, the studio had considered Ezra Miller, James McAvoy, Michale Pitt and Richard Madden, among others. Kei’s role was seen as possibly being played by Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley or Mila Kunis.”