Taika Waititi's live-action adaptation of Thor: Ragnarok became one of the most critically-acclaimed blockbusters of the year.
Since then, Akira has remained in development while Waititi worked on other endeavors such as his World War II anti-hate satire the film receiving a California tax incentive and getting a synopsis revealing key differences from the anime. Now, it appears as if it's all systems go and cameras will begin rolling soon.
According to Discussing Film, Akira will start production in July. In addition to directing, Waititi is said to be co-writing the screenplay with Michael Golamco. Casting is also underway. Screen Rant reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.
Traditionally, anime adaptations have proven to be a tough nut for Hollywood to crack, as evidenced by recent examples like put a new spin on the comic book source material. Most importantly, Waititi wants to cast Asian teenagers for the primary roles, which would mean Akira won't fall victim to a whitewashing controversy.
If Akira is indeed going to start filming in a couple of months (as of this writing), it means plenty of updates about the film are right around the corner. In particular, it'll be interesting to see who Waititi gets to star in the movie, as he previously expressed a desire to populate the ensemble with unknowns. Regardless, after many starts and stops, it looks like Akira is finally off the ground.
Source: Discussing Film
