Collider has exclusively broken the news that the rumored-dead Akira movie is in fact alive and well over at Warner Bros.

The website’s inside source claims that two screenwriters are currently at work on Akira, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, who are credited with doing a lot of initial script work for Iron Man (though that script went through several on-set rewrites). The pair also did the pen-work for the excellent Children of Men and are working on the script for the upcoming Cowboys and Aliens, which could re-unite them with Iron Man director Jon Favreau and star Robert Downey Jr.

So what is being planned for the Akira movie and how closely will it resemble Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 anime classic? Keep reading to the learn the answer.

About a year ago the official news broke (it had been rumored for ages before then) that a live-action American adaptation of the classic anime Akira was in the works. It was to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s company Appian Way, along with Warner Bros. Pictures, and directed by newcomer to feature-length filmmaking Ruairi Robinson. Well, those who were excited at the prospect of seeing Akira come to live-action life will be disappointed with the latest news:

The live-action Akira movie is being reported as dead.

It’s that time of the week again – Mid Week Movie News Wrap Up.

This week

It looks like Brett Ratner may have some issues when it comes to directing Conan; Samuel L. Jackson and Jim Caviezel are Blown; DiCaprio talks Akira; we have more news on Simon Pegg’s Paul and Ennio Morricone is a Basterd!

Here we are again with another Weekend Movie News Wrap Up where we look at the weekend box office and furnish you with any film news that may have slipped through the cracks.

This week:

We see who 20th Century Fox lined up to replace Gavin Hood during the shoot of Wolverine; Paul Verhoeven returns to the world of erotic thrillers; it looks like Akira may be a while off; Michael Douglas is Libarace; Ray Winstone is the new Robert DeNiro and there’s more money ahoy for Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp.