Cross your fingers on this one, kiddos, because I guarantee we’ve made this claim before.
The Wrap is reporting that the live-action Akira film that has been stewing for years in development hell is now set to release May 21, 2021. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way is set to produce the film with Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows director Taika Waititi helming the film.
The original Akira is set in Neo-Tokyo, a dystopian city built after the original Tokyo was destroyed. Tetsuo, a teenager, is targeted by the government when he starts developing psychic powers.
It also sounds like Waititi is aiming for an adaptation of the manga source material over a remake of the animated film, which I am all for. We already have an animated Akira that is beloved by many. Why even bother with another version of the same thing if you can go back to the source material and mine it for things that weren’t able to be done when that film was released and give a new fresh spin overall.
It’s hard for me to imagine a Taika Waititi-directed Akira film, and that’s not to say he can’t do it. I just haven’t seen anything from him that makes me shout Akira, but I trust him as a filmmaker after the success he has had with some truly great and fun popcorn cinema.
I know that the track record for Akira project actually getting off the ground is shaky but I have real faith in the version now set to be released in 2021. I won’t guarantee anything until I see some production photos to prove it, but I’m enthused.
What do you think? Are you excited for a live-action Akira directed by Taiki Waititi? Let me know/Drop a comment below!
-Kyle A. Goethe
GOAT Film Reviews 
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