Live-action anime seems to be the latest trend in Hollywood, with Ghost In The Shell and Death Note both hitting screens this year, and several more anime adaptations in the works. At Warner Bros., the big-name anime adaptation on the slate is Akira, although the studio seems to be having trouble getting the project off the ground. The iconic cyberpunk anime has been stuck in development hell for years, with multiple directors considered to direct over that time.
In 2015, George Miller was up for the director's gig, but turned it down due to scheduling conflicts. More recently, Justin Lin was being considered, as well as David F. Sandberg and Daniel Espinosa. Now, it looks like the movie has a new director in mind for the project -- Jordan Peele, director of hit horror flick Get Out.
According to The Tracking Board, Peele is now the number one candidate to direct the live-action Akira, and talks between the director and the studio are described as "encouraging". The site also mentions that Peele would be taking a pass at the script penned by Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) if he were to helm the project.
Get Out was Peele's directorial debut, and has been an unqualified success. It is not surprising, therefore, that the director is being eyed for bigger things, although rumor has it that he could also be up for director of The Flash, although that is firmly in the realm of speculation for now.
Should Peele sign on for Akira, it would be fantastic news for the project as a director would mean that Warners could finally get working on the production. The script has been written since 2015, and although it would need updating, a director on board would be the next big step toward finally getting the movie on the big screen. Peele could also be a good choice thanks to his proven ability to handle sensitive issues of race. Get Out has race as a central component (it is the central component, in fact), and with both Ghost In The Shell and Death Note dealing with criticisms over whitewashing, this could be a very smart move by the studio.
Of course, this is still unconfirmed by Warner Bros,, and even if Peele is in talks to direct the film, he has yet to officially sign on to the project. Given how many directors have been courted by the studio, and how many issues the production has had, it would be wise not to get hopes up quite yet. Still, we'll be looking out for more news on this project soon.
Screen Rant will bring you more news on Akira as it develops.
Next: Akira: Lights Out & Life Helmers Eyed to Direct
Source: The Tracking Board