Warner Bros. Is Eyeing ‘Life’ Director For Their Live-Action Akira Film

As far as remakes go, Japanese animated films have always been a go-to for Hollywood studios. Currently, Warnes Bros. is still looking to get an adaption of the 1988 classic Akira in production, ever since they acquired the rights back in 2002. After seeing five directors leave the project, maybe the sixth time’s the charm? During the latest episode of Meet The Movie Press, Jeff Sneider stated that the studio is currently looking at either Life director Daniel Espinosa and Lights Out director David Sandberg to helm the project. You can check out the full conversation below at 37:00.

You can check out the full conversation below at 37:00.

The chances of Sandberg joining the project are reportedly slim due to his other projects at Warner Bros, said Sneider. On the other hand, it appears that Espinosa is interested in the project and might just take it on.

With the remake of Ghost in the Shell hitting cinemas next week, Warners Bros. has an incentive to cash in on the current anime hype. Even Netflix is adapting the Japanese anime series Death Note, and they just dropped a trailer that looks highly promising.

Akira has been in development hell for over a decade with numerous high-profile writers and directors attached to the project. Filmmakers attached to the remake included Christopher Nolan, George Miller, and writer Garry Whitta. The most recent departure was director Jaume Collet-Serra who previously directed Non-Stop, Run All Night, and The Shallows.

Akira is set in the future where Tokyo is destroyed and in its place, Neo-Tokyo rises, a city fueled by corruption and chaos. Amidst the mayhem lies two biker gangs who are forced to stop a biker who has been given telekinetic powers by the government.

Daniel Espinosa’s Life is currently in theaters.

Source: Meet The Press