NYCSeoulTokyo

Yes, I am talking about Leonardo Dicaprio. His production company, Appian Way, along with Warner Bros. is financing the live-action remake of Akira. It will be split into two installments simply because of the size of the manga–6 huge thick books full of plot, story, character development, special effects, death, orgies (I’m so serious), awesome motorcycles etc. etc.

If you don’t know what Akira is (really??) then let me enlighten you. REALLY LONG EXPLANATION STARTS HERE. Akira is a manga by Katsuhiro Otomo published in 1982, it was met with commercial success and critical acclaim. The Story: Tokyo is in ruins because of Akira, a little boy with immeasurable and uncontrollable psychic abilities which caused a near atomic explosion in Tokyo, reducing to it’s current Neo-Tokyo state. Kaneda and Tetsuo live in this post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo and they’re both in a biker gang. Tetsuo realizes he has amazing psychic abilities and is basically kidnapped by the government. The government knows about Akira and they currently have him frozen so that he doesn’t mistakenly blow Tokyo up again. I really don’t know what else to say. My little synopsis does not give the manga justice but it was great. It is great. Then in 1988 the anime movie of it came out and that was awesome as well. Akira is so great because it’s not just an action thriller manga and anime, it’s about fragile social structures, naivety and power, corruption, isolation and so many things that really speak to any age, gender blah blah blah. REALLY LONG EXPLANATIONS ENDS whew.
Warner Bros. had the rights to Akira but then they gave them up during pre-production because the price of production was increasing too fast for comfort, mostly because of special affects. And now we are here, Appian Way and Warner Bros and–

The director of this film is the Irish, Ruairi Robinson. Not very well known, 30 years old (which unfortunately is rather young for a director) but was nominated for an Oscar back in 2001. It was for animated short. He has never directed feature-length movie before. The screenwriter is Gary Whitta…he has never written a screenplay before. (Ironically, he is simultaneously writing another post-apocalyptic film…) I’m confused, should you really hand over such an immense project to them? Because Akira is one of my favorite narratives ever I feel a strong attachment to it. (It’s the same way I feel about Hamlet, I can’t stand bad remakes of it and I haven’t seen a remake of it that I’ve been satisfied with.) I just feel like Warner Bros. isn’t going to give it the time or budget it needs to be great. Oh and I heard that instead of Neo-Tokyo the movie will take place in “New Manhattan” (allegedly). I hope this isn’t true. That would basically change the entire thing and it wouldn’t be Akira any longer.

Akira Trailer

please ignore the horrible voice over that accompanies this vid.

The news of the remake partially elates me and partially depresses me. I love the manga Akira and I would love to see it on the big screen but I would have also loved to have been the person that made it. I always wanted to do at least one crazy, action blockbuster movie and I hoped that it would be Akira. But now, my hopes are dashed.

Thanks Leo.

Anyway, jealousy aside, I really hope that this movie turns out well. But since it’s slated for a 2009 release and they are writing the script right now, I have hard time believing that they’ll be able to pull it all together for next year. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed. (Or should I hope that this remake is shitty and then I can make mine which will of course be a gajillion times better?…decisions, decisions…)