More Akira chatter

I mentioned the other day that Akira was one of five works that just needs to be adapted well. I’d be devastated if they were not. These five just happen to be being adapted all at the same time and Akira is probably at the top of importance for me. They just can’t fuck this one up. Vulture mentioned that the movie might be in a bit of trouble and that Brad Pitt turning down the role of Kaneda has put the movie in question.

Executives need a huge star to tie the mega-budgeted film down. Bitt is a hilarious response to this problem. Of course Pitt turned it down – the dudes got a fucking brain and realizes he’s too old to play a role aimed at a teenager. I have trouble believing that really happened, but hey, Ian McKellen was Magnento.

Moreover, the search for a star continues and I’m fearing that no matter what happens, this movie is going to be a little strange. After all, wasn’t the whole thing based around a post-war Japan? I know it wouldn’t work in Japan, but something just seems strange. How can they make the material rated R (I know they’re not going to) when the budget is hundreds of millions of dollars? How can they make a Manga story accessible to everyone without sacrificing what makes the story so masterful? I’m not a fanboy, endlessly defending sacred material, but if someone asked me to make Akira under such constraints, how is possible?

It is one of those things where if they have the mind-set of the film starring Pitt, they might as well not make it, right?

-Collin