Acclaimed director, actor, and style icon Taika Waititi is set to direct a live-action remake of Japanese cult classic film Akira!
Waititi’s newest project was first announced back in 2017 even before the premiere of Thor: Ragnarok, but it’s only now that the release date has been confirmed.
The news about the remake was met with apprehension and animosity especially among fans of the anime film. However, Waititi is taking it upon himself to assuage their worries by saying that he isn’t exactly remaking the film, but is instead using the manga.
In an interview with Dazed Magazine, he said, “What I wanted to do was an adaptation of the books, ’cause a lot of people are like, ‘Don’t touch that film!’ and I’m like, ‘I’m not remaking the film, I want to go back to the book.'”
He added, “A lot of the people freaking out haven’t even read the books, and there are six gigantic books to go through. It’s so rich.”
Source:Â Instagram.com/taikawaititi
Akira is a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo which follows Shoutarou Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang, who attempts to save his best friend from a secret government project that threatens to destroy Neo-Tokyo.
(Taika Waititi: the new Marvel hottie in this cinematic universe!)
The film is expected to hit theaters summer 2021. Filming will begin on July 15.
Do you think Taika Waititi will do justice to “Akira”? Tell us what you think in the comments!
