The Keanu man has been making a bit of a resurgance lately with news that he’s pushing for the development of a 3rd Bill and Ted movie and word that he had expressed interest in adapting Japanese Anime’s. Today we learn that 1 of those anime’s is no longer under the actors’ consideration as he has passed on the role of Kaneda in the Akira adaptation.
Source: Bloody-Disgusting
Even though he has a strong relationship with Warner Bros. by way of the The Matrix franchise, Keanu Reeves has officially passed on the role of Kaneda in the live-action Akira film, based on the 1988 landmark anime and six-volume manga. The project has been in development hell for years and has had numerous big names circling it – James Franco, Brad Pitt, Joseph Gordon-Levitt to name a few – but none have ultimately signed on to the Albert Hughes helmed sci-fi flick, whose budget has swelled to an estimated $140 million.
A little disappointed in that the absence of the Keanu man’s presence may slow down development of this movie, but also a little relieved as I’m not sure it’s the best anime to adapt into a live action flick. It’s not that I dont think that they could pull off the visuals, they probably could, it’s because Akira’s story is WEIRD. Creepy little blue kids, a psycho biker gang, and an old friend with a host of super powers with a sub plot of the title character that actually has very little to do with the on-screen action sounds good on paper, but I just don’t think audiences are willing to wrap their head around the complexities of the underlying themes in the movie.
This may not stop them from making the movie, so if not the Keanu man then who?
Anime adaptations to the big screen need to have what the Cartoons have,
teeth grinding,silly jokes and slapstick, HOT BABES, and over the top action. that and they’d have to find people with HUGE eyes!
I’m sorry, but everything we’ve heard so far about this adaptation sounds awful. Kaneda is a high school student! All the actors who have been attached to the role are way too old.
They never should have transferred the story to New York either. I understand the producers want a white actor in the lead role, ok fine. But Neo-Tokyo was a diverse megalopolis, and they could have made Kaneda a white kid born and raised in Tokyo. They do exist afterall, and immigration trends being what they are, there will likely be a lot more white Japanese in the future. Hell, you could even explain the American presence in Japan as being key to the re-construction efforts. That would actually work well with the themes of government cover-ups, the coup de tat, and parallels to the atomic bomb and WWII reconstruction. Neo-Tokyo would be way more mysterious and intriguing to western audiences than a futuristic New York. I mean, how often do we even get to see Asian cities on film?
Brad Pitt would be an ok choice as the Colonel though.
Yea, totally agree. I understand the need to take some liberties when adapting a story but they are so far off on this one they arent even in the same galaxy.
This will crash and burn at theater if they continue on the intended path they are taking.
Their is only one choice for this movie! That would be the best actor from the greatest sci-fi movie ever made… John Travolta in Battlefield Earth! Boom!!! Sign him immediately with or without his toupee.
I think that might be the only choice NOT to go with.
Perhaps I overlooked your sarcasm.
God, I hope I overlooked your sarcasm.