Nordling here.
Deadline is reporting that Albert Hughes will no longer be directing the live-action AKIRA film. No one has been announced yet to replace him. Now that both Hughes and Keanu Reeves are no longer with the project, WB is trying to figure out how they want to proceed. According to the article, the split was friendly, with Warner Brothers looking for more projects for Hughes to direct.
It's unclear where this leaves the film now. All the casting announcements for the film simply do not mesh with the well-established characters of Katsushiro Otomo's graphic novel and film. All of them without exception have been too old, except for maybe Andrew Garfield. The American adaptation would bring the saga to New York, but AKIRA, to me, seemed so uniquely Japan that it didn't make much sense to move the location to the States. New York has seen devastation too, but nowhere near the level of Japan, and AKIRA spoke directly to those fears and experiences.
Warners should move very quickly to replace Hughes. Given the state of Hollywood budgets and the scope of AKIRA, I'd imagine they are very nervous on how to proceed, because there are a lot of fans of this property just waiting to pounce if Warners screws it up. If they are going to Americanize the film, I hope they cast young. And the hunt for a new director is on, but I'd imagine we'll hear something about who it will be very soon.
Nordling, out.
