This may or may not be good news to fans of the anime — depending on how much trust you have for Hollywood adaptations — but according to a report by Variety, the live-action adaptation for Akira is now put on hold for an indefinite amount of time. This is according to various sources coming from Warner Brothers though it has not been confirmed by the studio directly.
The classic anime adaptation was set to begin filming by Autumn of this year with a scheduled release date of May 2021. However, sources indicate the studio has indefinitely pulled the plug on the production due to Taika Waititi’s preoccupation with Marvel’s untitled Thor installment. Waititi was meant to lead the project as its director.
(Japanese Animation Heads Believe That The Anime Industry Is In Crisis)
Warner Bros. was allegedly quite surprised at the news of Waititi taking on the fourth Thor movie, especially with Akira nearing its production schedule. This would mean that if confirmed, Waititi had failed to inform the studio of his commitment to their Disney rival.
(The Hollywood adaptation of ‘Kimi No Na Wa’ is going to have a westernized script)
Akira has been in development for Warner Bros. since 2012 but has seen a series of setbacks and delays. From a lack of budget to difficulty finding a satisfactory cast, it seems that this production has experienced a myriad of problems. Many are hopeful that this is not another in a long list of roadblocks.
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