Tetsuo is set to do battle with John Wick at the box office as Taika Waititi's Akira will reportedly be released on the same date as John Wick 4.

The Kiwi filmmaker has been attached to the Warner Bros version of the classic Japanese film since 2017 and Deadline reports its North American release date has been set for May 14, 2021.

An American remake of Akira has been in development for years with actors including Keanu Reeves, Kristen Stewart, Dane DeHaan and Garrett Hedlund set to star in it at various stages.

Waititi, however, is eager to not 'white-wash' the film by having people of European descent play Asian characters.

He told IGN he wants to cast unknown Asian teen actors for the film's main roles, and have it be more a new adaptation of the original graphic novels rather than a remake of the 1998 film.

Akira is being co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Deadline also reports that Waititi is no longer making a film about Michael Jackson's chimpanzee Bubbles.

The Boy filmmaker's next movie, anti-hate satire Jojo Rabbit, is set for release in October.

Newshub.