For years Warner Bros. has been unsuccessful in trying to get a live-action Akira adaptation to the big screen. I'm not sure what the problem is, but they just can't seem to make it happen. The movie got the official greenlight in October of last year, with Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan, Unknown) attached to develop the film, and Tron: Legacy's Garrett Hedlund set to star. They then shut the production down in January due to budget issues. Who knows when or if the movie will ever get made, but here's some storyboard art for the film drawn by Jeffrey Errico showing us the opening sequence of the film. Look it over and let us know what you think! Are you interested in seeing a live-action Americanized version of this movie? Or are you glad it's dead right now?

Here's the Synopsis for the remake:

Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.



Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.

You can click here to see some previously released storyboard art.







