Taika Waititi's live-action began discussions with him to do so in 2017.
The original manga, set in a post-apocalyptic 2019 future where a mysterious explosion nearly destroyed Tokyo several years ago, is written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo and launched in 1982. The cyberpunk story follows a group of teenage bikers, led by Shotaro Kaneda, and other characters who try and prevent Kaneda's mentally imbalanced friend Tetsuo from using his telekinetic abilities to awaken Akira, who is responsible for the original destruction of Tokyo. Warner Bros. has spent years trying to get Akira off the ground and into theaters, and now that Waititi is firmly aboard, they are ready to move forward.
As shared by Super Pets to 2022.
WB officially giving Akira a release date comes after reports recently emerged that filming on the movie would begin this summer. The July start to Akira's production will give Waititi nearly two years to complete his latest project, but also now leaves only a handful of weeks for WB to make other announcements. Akira is currently without any cast , and the casting process will be closely followed by many, as Hollywood adaptations of other mangas have often seen characters white-washed. Hopefully, Akira will avoid making such decisions.
Even if WB and Waititi cast appropriately for Akira, it does appear that they'll make other changes. A wants to adapt the story of the comics, and not the anime, but do it in a new way. With the release date set for Akira, those looking forward to Waititi's take may not have to wait long to get clarification on these details.
Source: THR
