It seems that every six months or so, there are new rumors about the long-awaited live-action remake of “Akira.” Ever since Warner Bros. secured the rights in 2002, there have been rumors about writers, directors, and actors all coming and going from the project. Well, get ready, there are new rumors about the film. According to a recent episode of Meet the Movie Press, we can add two more names to the long list of people associated with the film.
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Daniel Espinosa, director of the recent “Life,” and David Sandberg, director of horror film “Lights Out,” are the two directors being eyed as new potential candidates for helming “Akira.” Last we heard, director Justin Lin was the studio’s choice for the film, but that apparently isn’t the case anymore. This is nothing new, since before Lin, Jaume Collet-Serra, George Miller, and even Christopher Nolan (hahaha, not gonna happen) were all names associated with the project. Odds are Espinosa and Sandberg are just two more names that will come and go from the film.
“Akira” has been stuck in development hell since 2002 due to a variety of issues. The scope of the film requires a pretty hefty budget that Warner Bros. has been reluctant to give. On top of that, the actual story itself isn’t your typical blockbuster fare, with its dense sci-fi and violence that would make anything less than an R-rating impossible. However, “Akira” is regarded as one of the best anime films of all time, if not the best. With Scarlett Johansson’s live-action remake of “Ghost In The Shell” about to make its debut, this might be the best chance that a live-action “Akira” has at getting made and hopefully avoiding the lack of diversity and whitewashing problems that have marred Paramount‘s upcoming film.