After making headlines and history withGet Out, which made writer-directorJordan Peelethe first African-American filmmaker to make more than $100 million domestic ($149.5 million) in his directorial debut, the director is now wanted for a big-budget follow-up. A new report reveals that Warner Bros. is “aggressively courting"Jordan Peeleto take the reins on their long-gestatingAkira adaptation, which has been through various stages of development since 2008. While nothing is set in stone at this time, Warner Bros. is said to be making a move to lock the comedian down.
The Tracking Boardbroke the news from CinemaCon, which comes just a week after rumors surfaced thatDaniel Espinosa(Life) andDavid F. Sandberg(Lights Out) were in contention to take over this project, but now it seems the studio is seriously eyeingJordan Peele. While the site’s sources claim that the talks have been encouraging, reps for both the studio and director refused to comment on the story. IfJordan Peeledoes come aboard, it could put an end to theAkira development processthat has lasted nearly a decade.
We first reported on thisAkiraproject, based on the iconic manga created byKatsuhiro Otomoin 2008, whenLeonardo DiCapriocame aboard to produce through his Appian Way company. He is still attached as a producer, along withAndrew Lazar(American Sniper), withDaredevilshowrunnerMarco Ramirezwriting the most recent version of the script. IfJordan Peeledoes in fact sign on, though, the writer-director is expected to take his own pass at the script. He will become just the latest in a long line of writers and directors who have attempted to tackle this ambitious adaptation.
Akirais set in a neon-lit futuristic post-nuclear war Tokyo in 2019 where ateen biker gang memberTetsuo Shima is subjected to a government experiment which unleashes his latent powers. The gang’s leader, Shotara Kaneda, must find a way to stop the ensuing swathe of destruction. The anime classic originated in 1988 as manga and then was made into an animated film byKatsuhiro Otoma, which is considered by many fans of Japanese animation to be among the finest works in the genre. Over the years, there have been a slew of actors, writers and directors attached to this adaptation, but it never made its way into production.
Two years afterLeonardo DiCapriocame aboard to producer, theHughes Brotherswere being eyed to direct, whileZac EfronandMorgan Freemancircled the project. In 2011,Harry PotterwriterSteve Klovestook a crack at the script, whileKeanu Reeveswas briefly attached as Kaneda, before dropping out, along with theHughes brothers. AfterJaume Collett-Serrawas attached to direct later that year, the project got the closest to starting production, withGarrett Hedlundattached as Kaneda, withKristen Stewartoffered the role of Kei, and a number of actors testing for Tetsuo, such asEzra Miller,Alden Ehrenreich,Paul DanoandMichael Pitt, although Warner Bros. ended up shutting down production in early 2012, to rework the script in order to get the budget down.Marco Ramirezcame aboard to write the script in June 2015, with a report surfacing in September 2015 thatChristopher Nolanmay be eyeing this project, but that was the last we heard aboutAkirauntil now.
