Keanu Reeves in talks to star as Kaneda in Akira for Warner Bros.
Back in March, we reported that a number of actors such as Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix were being considered to play Kaneda, although it seems the studio is now looking at the 47-year-old Keanu Reeves. The studio has also had trouble casting Kaneda's best friend, Tetsuo, although our report from March indicated that Robert Pattinson, and Andrew Garfield were in contention to play Tetsuo.
Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes will direct Akira from a screenplay by Steve Kloves. Albert Torres wrote the original draft of the script. The story centers on Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang in a stylized version of Manhattan, who tries to save his best friend Tetsuo from a medical experiment.
A similar report indicated that both Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling passed on the Kaneda role, and that the budget has grown to a whopping $230 million. Warner Bros. is seeking a bankable lead with worldwide recognition, and they are also looking for another studio to possibly co-finance the project.
It isn't known when production will start on Akira.
Akira comes to theaters in 2013 and stars Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Ken Watanabe. The film is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
Comments (22)
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Nautical
Then i say no!
1 year agoby @nautical05Flag
RojoDiablo
I don't really think Akira needs a live action adaptation but seeing how we're getting one anyway, I don't see why age really matters to tell the story. With that kind of money, it's a big gamble if you go with the less known actors.
1 year agoby @rojodiabloFlag
skywise
This is old news and he would make a terrible Kaneda. That is a story about a young motor cycle gang who gets cought up in some serious sh*t. Say no to Keanu.
1 year agoby @skywiseFlag
Diaigma
::looks for that "facepalm" code::
1 year agoby @diaigmaFlag
Salem6777
f*ck this! he is a terrible actor!
1 year agoby @Salem6777Flag
Lastwerdz
It feels weird,but NOW i support Pattinson,if you scrap the bottom of the barrel you won't find a worse actor that Keanu Reeves
1 year agoby @lastwerdzFlag
darksektor1971
@dadarkknight That statement of "no such thing as old in hollywood", is why they SUCK!!!, at translating properties like AKIRA and soon MACROSS to this side of the world to movies, even if those properties (AKIRA, MACROSS, VOLTRON & whatever japanese manga or anime) are well known classics, in anime, age is the main reason why and how the stories are developed, it doesn't matter who translates it, they have to keep it faithfull to the source, if not it's a sure meat to the grinder in fandom support.
1 year agoby @darksektor1971Flag
Jay.A.Ottley
@K-Man completely agree on Pattinson, he was pretty amazing in Water For Elephants his proof he can act unlike the majority of these young teen actors that were stereotyped by franchise names.
I don't see this working, 1 problem is the age and well this character will get compared to much to Neo, IMO.
1 year agoby @jayaottleyFlag
K-Man
I hope Robert Pattinson gets the other role. I like Pattinson, I think he's a talented guy who has just recently shown what he can really do with his acting abilities. I think he was great in Harry Potter, Remember Me and Water for Elephants.......it's just the Twilight crap that I dislike. He's got a lot of potential and he is a hell of a lot cooler than Andrew Garfield who, by the way, just comes across as a huge sissy (which means he will probably be perfect for Spider-man because Peter Parker IS a sissy before he turns. I also dont think James McAvoy would be very good for the role......its just not right for him.....even though he is a great actor.
As for this casting, yeah I think Keanu is a bit old for the role and he wouldn't be my number one choice, thats for sure, but it could be worse.
1 year agoby @k-manFlag
ejk1
@champion-bescos But if the name is still Kaneda, a white lead still makes no sense. Like if WB actually makes a Bleach movie. How stupid would it be if Zac Efron (just to pick a name) play Ichigo Kurosaki, even if it is in NYC? I think it would be very stupid. It just annoys me. Oh well.
1 year agoby @ejk1Flag
aoshi
@phatalphd I have never been much of a fan of the anime. However, I don't see why Hollywood needs to make this, other than the usual excuse that they have run out of ideas and need to either recycle old ones and rip off from other countries. Even with a $230 million budget I can't see this being something other than crap. It worked great as an edgy anime, but as a live action movie I'm not so sure, especially since it will probably be made PG-13.
1 year agoby @aoshiFlag
The King of Thorns
@ejk1, but they're setting this adaption in Chicago... so while I agree with you, casting a white lead isn't out of the question now. Why they're setting it in Chicago, I have no idea. I just hope they get this right.
1 year agoby @champion-bescosFlag
MovieWiz001
Okay, that's too old
1 year agoby @moviewiz001Flag
deadjedi
There's no way this movie would succeed if they stick to the original story/setting/names. Anime is just not as popular in America as anime fans want to believe it is.
1 year agoby @deadjediFlag
phatalphd
@aoshi you know that aint happening, lol. Tetsuo is gonna get changed to like Charlie or something like, and Kenada will be Kevin. I'm already losing faith in this. Seems like they just want to get big names on the Poster so draws ticket sales. Even though Akira has one of the biggest fan bases in Anime, so it'd do rediculously good if you just stick to the script. Its either gonna be dope, or garbage, im calling it now. lol
1 year agoby @phatalphdFlag
CUPID
@ejk1 Yep i think he can pull off playing Spkie.
1 year agoby @cupidFlag
CUPID
@aoshi True.
1 year agoby @cupidFlag
CUPID
First off yes he is too old, Kaneda you can say was a teenager in the movie.
This is why i dont like when they take anime and turn it into live action movi
1 year agoby @cupidFlag
ejk1
He should play Spkie Spiegel, which isn't necessarily a Japanese character. Leave the Japanese characters alone.
1 year agoby @ejk1Flag
aoshi
It's going to be really funny to see all these anglo actors having Japanese names.
1 year agoby @aoshiFlag
dadarkknight
In hollywood their is no such thing as being old. The problem is that the new generation of actors suck now. Look at most film that are good, the actors are at least in the late 30s to 40s. Will Smith, Stallone, Willis, Reeves, Denzel, Bale, Damon, Robert Downey, Dwayne Johnson, Vin Disel, and Daniel Craig are still the ones headlining movies people are even looking forward to Arnold coming back and he is old. This day in time I we have is dude that plays in girly movies like twilight.
1 year agoby @dadarkknightFlag
darksektor1971
He's too old IMO....
1 year agoby @darksektor1971Flag