ROTTEN TOMATOES: Live-Action Akira Remake Gets a Director? Comments

Live-Action Akira Remake Gets a Director?

by Jeff Giles | October 30, 2007

Summary

Way back in 2003, when Warner Bros. announced its intention to produce a live-action remake of Katsuhiro Otomo's classic 1988 anime Akira, millions of fans skeptically raised their eyebrows in unison...then, when no further announcements were forthcoming, slowly went about forgetting the whole thing ever happened. Back to Article

(1-32 of 32 posts) | Reply

xenogears writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:05 AM

Akira was a great anime. I hope they don't screw it up.

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jacog writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:10 AM

If they do the whole thing in Japan, IN Japanese, with a Japanese director... then they wouldn't have had to worry so much about the strikes.

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Sparky4Life writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:17 AM

I agree with Jacog. If they make it in Japan, you can almost put money on this movie being good, otherwise, it will get americanized and be crap.

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rustdog writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:46 AM

You would think the budget for this would have to be huge. It better be set in Japan. It's neo tokyo not neo new york. I'm also worried a director with not much experience will be overwhelmed by this project. This is a huge elaborate movie not some little arthouse anime.

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frogleg writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:50 AM

I'm not sure how confident I am, but I will say that this type of remake isn't as annoying as a lot of them that are going on. The reason I think that is because you know this will be enough different from the original to warrant a viewing. It isn't "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" with more expensive cameras and MTV editing, it's a whole different thing entirely. I'm as skeptical as the next guy, but I don't think it's a terrible idea.

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jpotter writes:
on Oct 30 2007 08:04 AM

file under "continues to seem like a bad idea." but i guess ya never know...

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The One writes:
on Oct 30 2007 08:18 AM

I'll be completely honest. I'm a huge Akira fan and I think Ruairi Robinson is going to make a masterpiece out of it. His short films are astonishing.

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Man_Of_Iron8905 writes:
on Oct 30 2007 08:19 AM

God I hope so.

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danielfrohlich writes:
on Oct 30 2007 09:14 AM

Cillian Murphy was in that short film, The Silent City. That was pretty unexpected.

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moviemonkey2 writes:
on Oct 30 2007 09:57 AM

I hope they aren't trying to adapt the anime movie to a live action movie. The original was such a trunkated version of the comics that it barely made sense. It was beautiful, but disjointed and confusing. If they're going to remake this, it'd better be from the comics. Otherwise this'll end up being a third generation copy.

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romsy writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:05 AM

Seems like an all right idea, still would be kinda cool to see Kaneda's bike in live action, but man does this director have a lot on his shoulders.

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Young Turk writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:10 AM

You have got to be kidding me....

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renodc writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:19 AM

In reply to this comment (#1234306)
I felt the same way about the anime movie. It seemed forced and choppy. The story wasn't very cohesive, and at points, it was very confusing. If I wasn't already familiar with the story, I think the film would have had me completely lost.

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Hamboner writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:26 AM

This would need to be done like 300 with entirely false backdrops, no place in the world looks lie Neo Tokyo, not even, uh, Now Tokyo. But that's jist a detail.

Whenever I get someone to actually watch Akira, they get freaked out and upset. What made the (anime's) story so compelling was that there weren't morals, messages, or even really hope. .1% of the population loves its bleakness and get drawn into seeing it and worship it, but a majority of Americans won't like this movie and will be upset by it if it is a faithful recreation. It will bomb. But without the blockbuster budget, it won't look right...

I just don't see how this can turn out well without a crazy private invester banking and distributing the whole thing. That said, I'd forgo sex for an inordinate amount of time to see it as it could be done.

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Marrin24 writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:52 AM

In reply to this comment (#1234120)
Guys look, don't kid yourself, there is a reason anime is so attractive and that is its ability to tell a story without having to limit it within the lines of reality and to tell a story the director wants, anyway he wants. This is just not possible with Live-Action films, even with the advances in CG animation like with the recent Transformers, there are still limits. Akira is the pinnicle film for anime fans anywhere and is considered hands down one of the most recognizable anime titles even to non-anime viewers. The story line is fine, But if you saw the very ending, you know that it may not be possible in live-action and still make sense or fiting correctly, and if u take it out or change it you ruin the core of the film and detract from the direction the director meant for the story to take.

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sfpcross writes:
on Oct 30 2007 11:54 AM

Ok, I'm sorry but that guy's short film, "Silent City," was not good... Aside from the that fact that he had a budget and a great effects team, it was pretty much crap. The story was really dumb, and no, it isn't because I don't like futuristic stories, it's because the story didn't go anywhere or say anything. The pacing was horrible, the shots were mediocre, the writing was bad. I'm not saying this guy isn't talented, cause I haven't seen his other short, but to say this short is "mind blowing" is pretty asinine. Some people might give the excuse that there is only so much you can do in a short film, and you have a point, but trust me when I say he could have done a lot more.

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reyes writes:
on Oct 30 2007 12:14 PM

who cares!

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High School With Money writes:
on Oct 30 2007 12:31 PM

[b]who cares! [/b]

Apparently, everyone who posted before you, genius.

Marrin24 nailed the anime's significance. Unless they plan on making this a tentpole, it might as well go straight to DVD. And how much of this concerns Otomo's involvement, anyhoo?

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0LDB0Y writes:
on Oct 30 2007 01:03 PM

I think Shakira should be in this movie.

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harrismonkey writes:
on Oct 30 2007 01:10 PM

I just watched the short film. The guy is compitent, and obviously has some idea how to work around visual effects set pieces (probably why they're looking at him). But there is nothing much in this short film that makes him any more likely than a high end commecial or music video director to be able to pull off a particularly stunning first film (it does happen, look at being john Malkovich, One hour Photo, Hard candy, etc).

So basicly, they could do far worse, but I see nothing here to get overly excited about at this point.

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Hamboner writes:
on Oct 30 2007 01:43 PM

"Discipline... Discipline... Discipline..."

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southwick writes:
on Oct 30 2007 01:56 PM

I wonder if a live action version will make more sense.

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Young Turk writes:
on Oct 30 2007 03:24 PM

In reply to this comment (#1234434)
She should be Kaori, so that way when her shirt gets ripped off the audience can stare at her tits.

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darkfan writes:
on Oct 30 2007 07:04 PM

Ugh. Something about taking anime live-action really doesn't make sense to me. I'm thinking america won't support this, but that's just me.

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Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Oct 30 2007 10:28 PM

This is a bad idea.

It will be stripped down so the FX can be done on a budget, the plot will be Hollywood-ized so it appeals to a larger audience to afford the special FX, and I wouldn't be surprised if the make it PG-13. I'll wait for the trailer, but it has a lot to live up to.

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Daniel Aaron writes:
on Oct 31 2007 03:49 AM

akria was amazing live action should trancend media. I would direct im 36 I will get my shot someday bt if your real and believe anything less than transendant it should never be filmed. I say respectfuly to the studio and director if you dont know you can pull it off leave it alone. But alas twenty somthings with connections are the order of the day just like griffith back in the 20's and his money. We all weep but will make our films in the Malineum age (because that is our final hope and eternity) or hopefully sooner becuase the Lord is coming back those in Satan have there fallen hour now and there film testify to there God because they suck Akira is a case study of what they believe and what is half true, evry part of it ...the flesh that devourers and the sadness of striving for more in a fallen world , that was ====== Final control of the human mind can never be achieved as the bible says The flesh leads to death....welcome to Hollywood\. I was. P.S the eqaul signs are you and everything you might be if you are reading this, that is why they rode there bikes...me too but the final answer is Jesus evrything els is nothing more.

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proximo writes:
on Oct 31 2007 07:32 AM

man if they keep true to the 1988 Anime, this is gonna have to cost at least 350 million$...
just imagine those end-sequences in live-action...

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frogleg writes:
on Oct 31 2007 09:10 AM

In reply to this comment (#1236046)
.....what?!?!

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SnorkleCat writes:
on Oct 31 2007 10:34 AM

Um...Daniel Aaron, I have no idea what you're trying to say. I mean no disrespect when I ask, is English your first language? I literally can't understand you.

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optic_85 writes:
on Oct 31 2007 11:10 AM

I love Akira, this could be an amazing film, or a huge disaster. As for the director, I just hope he has extreme passion for the project. All the experience in the world can't compare to love for the source material. I'll cross my fingers, and eagerly await this. Now, let the casting rumors commence!!!!

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damvbat writes:
on Oct 31 2007 05:42 PM

oh my god do thay have to remake everything under the sun, frag I sit here and read about all these remakes, I so want to stop watching movies right now.

say no to movies and yes to tv

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Alexs writes:
on Oct 15 2008 01:00 AM

I think that everything depends on the screenplay, AKIRA has a pretty deep, intense message, wich in my opinion would be the main reason to do this in live action, if the filmmakers dont work on this the result will be just eye candy, sorry but In that case I prefere the anime.

Anime is appealing to us, deranged fans, because it presents a raw, hyper realistic texture to life, so thats also one challenge for the filmmakers, since the Akira narrative depends on this, I mean it must be a gory film...

Im not sure how much I want to see CGI on this, if possible the FX should be must of the time physical, im sure it can be done, if the story is good I think AKIRA could be the new METROPOLIS!

AND PLEAASE DONT USE THE SPEED RACER TECHNIQUE OR I SWEAR I WILL LOOK AFTER YOU!!!!

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