You are viewing the archive: “Akira”

‘Akira’ Not Dead Yet, Despite Vancouver Office Closing And Test Option Expirations With Lead Actors

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday January 5, 2012 @ 3:56pm PSTTags: Akira, Dane DeHaan, Michael Pitt, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

Is Akira on the rocks with Warner Bros? I’m told that along with Warner Bros closing the Vancouver production office, the studio let lapse the test options deals it had with Dane DeHaan and Michael Pitt. Both actors had been competing for the lead role of Tetsuo, to star alongside Garrett Hedlund, Kristin Stewart, and potentially Ken Watanabe and Helena Bonham Carter. DeHaan and Boardwalk Empire star Pitt have been vying for that role since late last year. Neither was chosen over the other, and since those option deals ended today, it remains an open question whether either will keep the slot open to see if this movie goes forward. The film was all but greenlit, with production slated to begin March 5.

What’s the problem? Akira sounds not a lot different than what has happened at the studio to the films Arthur & Lancelot and Legendary Pictures’ big-budget film Paradise Lost. I’ve even heard turbulence on the 300 prequel Xerxes. Basically, the studio is scrutinizing everything. Akira, which was bought years ago and put on a fast track when Albert Hughes was going to direct it. While reports indicate Warner Bros has problems with budget, I’m told that’s not really the issue. The studio suddenly wanted changes made to the script, the most recent draft of which came from David James Kelly. They will quickly set a high-end writer to do a polish and then Warner Bros will have to a final decision to make. Director Jaume Collet-Serra’s version already came down from $150 million that Hughes planned to spent to about $90 million, so this is more about creative than budget, or it could be that the studio is getting cold feet about making a pricey movie with a young cast and not huge stars.

Warner Bros still hasn’t settled the situation on Arthur & Lancelot, after putting the brakes last month on a David Dobkin script that the studio paid a fortune to acquire. This one is about budget: the $130 million was high for a film that so far has Joel Kinnaman and Kit Harington as its stars. The studio gave Dobkin license to shop it elsewhere, and I’ve heard Warner Bros might start redeveloping the King Arthur project that Sherlock Holmes helmer Guy Ritchie was sweet on. Warner Bros will make the Dobkin-directed Arthur & Lancelot for $110 million, but that’s still a jump from the $90 million expected when the script was bought. On Paradise Lost, Legendary put the brakes on a January start because the green screen visual effects needed to stage the celestial battle between good and evil swelled a $120 million budget by 10%-15%. That film is expected to start production by summer.

This is hardly curtains for any of these movies and sometimes the extra time is beneficial. Disney and the makers of The Lone Ranger spent the second half of 2011 finding a way to bring down that budget to a manageable $215 million, a much better risk than the $250 million that the studio was facing when it scrapped an early fall start date. And there is always the case of Moneyball, which was halted days before production started because for creative reasons. That film got put back together and is now an Oscar contender.

Comments 34

Kristen Stewart In Talks For Role Of Kei In Jaume Collet-Serra’s ‘Akira’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday November 15, 2011 @ 5:47pm PSTTags: Akira, Garrett Hedlund, Gary Oldman, Jaume Collet-Serra, Katsuhiro Otomo, Kristen Stewart, Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros

Kristen Stewart is in advanced talks for the female lead Kei in director Jaume Collet-Serra’s epic Akira, based on Katsuhiro Otomo’s six-volume graphic novel. Twitchfilm reported midday Tuesday that Stewart had been offered the part. She would join Garrett Hedlund, … Read More »

Comments 91

‘Akira’ Focuses On Short List Of Actors After Getting Steve Kloves Rewrite

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday March 21, 2011 @ 8:04pm PDTTags: Akira, Albert Hughes, Andrew Garfield, Appian Way, Chris Pine, Garrett Hedlund, James McAvoy, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, Joaquin Phoenix, Justin Timberlake, Katsuhiro Otomo, Legendary Pictures, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, Robert Pattinson, Steve Kloves, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: The script for the Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures live action adaptation of anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo’s 6-volume graphic novel Akira has been sent to a short list of actors. The picture is finally taking shape for an August start, … Read More »

Comments 409

A Post Comic-Con Wish List of 15 Films The Geek Crowd Really Wants To See

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday July 26, 2010 @ 8:21am PDTTags: Akira, At the Mountains of Madness, Bioshock, Brian K. Vaughan, Comic-Con, Comic-Con Convention, Gore Verbinski, Guillermo Del Toro, Isaac Asimov, Katsuhiro Otomo, Marc Forster, Mark Protosevich, Max Brooks, Neil Gaiman, Neill Blomkamp, Sam Raimi, Stephen King, The Dark Tower, World War Z
Mike Fleming

Studios brought stars and film clips to Comic-Con, seeking geek love for all of its superhero and fantasy projects. While they’re paying attention, how about some of the more ambitious films these die-hards have waited years to see? After … Read More »

Comments 41