Akira’s Live-Action Movie Finally Gets Positive Update

While it may feel like Hollywood has forgotten about the upcoming Akira live-action movie, the film has finally received a positive update. Thor: Ragnarök and Love & Thunder director, Taika Waititi, has long been attached to the live-action adaptation, with Leonardo DiCaprio on board as a producer. While the idea of a live-action Akira movie has been on the cards since the film found initial success way back in 1988, the past few years have seen that dream edge closer to being a reality than ever before.

Like all of the past attempts to adapt Akira into a live-action movie, it seemed as though the latest round met a similar fate. While the film has some star-studded talent attached, news on the project over the past few years has been as silent as the film’s iconic nuclear bomb opening. But, during a recent interview with Moovy TV to promote his new movie G20, producer Andrew Lazar is finally giving fans some form of update, or at least, a time frame in which they expect something truly substantial.

Akira’s Live-Action Movie Is Still In Development

The update might not be the one that fans were hoping for, but the recent interview with Lazar at least kept the dreams of Akira‘s live-action movie alive. When asked about the state of the long-forgotten adaptation, Lazar first said, “There’s no update.” But, while the future of Akira‘s live-action adaptation may look as bleak as the underbelly of Neo-Tokyo, Lazar did give some good news.

“I expect we’ll have one in the next couple of months,” the producer concluded. While it might not be the major update fans were hoping for, Lazar’s answer at least confirms that the adaptation is still in the works.

Along with the likes of Ghost in the Shell and Spirited Away, Akira is one of the most lauded and influential anime movies of all time. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira is a condensed adaptation of Otomo’s eponymous sci-fi manga. It’s not surprising that Hollywood wants to adapt the movie into live-action, with the film’s immense fan base and the continued commercial success of live-action adaptations. However, given that the movie is so acclaimed by fans, many have questioned the need for the film to be remade in live-action.

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A History of Akira’s Failed Live-Action Adaptations

As previously mentioned, a live-action adaptation of Akira has been in the works for around 25 years. Taiki Waititi is just the latest in a long line of directors once attached to helm the project. However, it appears as though Waitti isn’t giving up as easily. The director’s name was first linked to Akira way back in 2017. At the time, fans thought the movie would finally happen, as Akira was given a 2021 release date.

But the bad news continued to pile up, and Akira’s live-action adaptation was pulled from the Warner Bros. release slate in 2019. Fans thought that Taika Waititi would work on the movie during the pandemic, but Akira was ultimately sidelined in lieu of Thor: Love & Thunder (yikes). Taika Waititi’s Akira still hasn’t been given a release date. Although, given Lazar’s recent announcement, we’re hoping it will be revealed in the coming months.

H/T: Moovy TV on YouTube