‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Director Taika Waititi Is In Talks To Direct ‘Akira’

Warner is still serious about making a live-action Akira film, although they’ve gone through several directors, screenwriters, and actors over the years in their attempt to adapt books one through six into two movies. The first movie was going to be directed by Ruairi Robinson, then he was replaced by the Hughes Brothers who were replaced by Jaume Collet-Serra who then departed then returned then departed again (Is he a cat? In or out, Jaume!). Several directors were then reportedly pursued — Justin Lin, Daniel Espinosa, David F. Sandberg, Hiro Murai, and Jordan Peele — but none of them signed. At one point, both Zac Efron and Keanu Reeves were rumored to be wanted for roles. Last we heard, Garrett Hedlund was going to play Kaneda (huh?), Kristen Stewart was offered the Kei role, Helena Bonham Carter and Ken Watanabe were cast (the latter as the Colonel), and the role of Tetsuo was likely to go to either Dane DeHaan or Michael Pitt.

Now Deadline reports Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is in talks with Warner to direct Akira, and it sounds as though the movie will likely cast different actors. (Hey, it turns out we aren’t living in the darkest timeline after all.) We don’t know if Warner is still using the most recent script written by Marco Ramirez of Netflix’s Daredevil, nor do we know if Waititi can find room in his busy schedule. He already has three projects lined up, including a TV spin-off for What We Do in the Shadows.

Along with being very busy, Waititi may not want to take another big-budget project so soon. The Tracking Board claims a source told them he is “growing weary of ‘the machine,’ alluding to Marvel and Disney.” If he does sign on for Akira, we’ll be interested in seeing which actors are cast. He gets along so well with actors…

(Via Deadline and The Tracking Board)