Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi confirmed to IGN that he has been approached about directing a live-action feature film adaptation of Akira, but he was coy and non-committal about whether he would.
He confirmed there had been "talks" but alternated between speaking about the project in the past and present tense even as he also offered his thoughts on his approach to adapting the material and casting the film.
When I asked Waititi if he was going to direct Akira, he replied, "I am -- that was more or less a rumor. There was, I mean, I was in talks to do that, for sure, and something that I was very passionate about -- am passionate about."
This could simply be a filmmaker with an impending hit movie (Thor: Ragnarok) playing coy while talking to the press about a project he's not yet signed a deal to make.
Warner Bros. has been developing a live-action movie of the Akira anime for years now, but Waititi said he's not interested in remaking that classic movie. He would want to adapt the original manga source material instead.
"I actually love the books. Love the movie, but I would not do a remake of the movie. I would do an adaptation of the books," Waititi said, adding, "And, yeah, so anyway there's been some chats [about him directing it]."
Back in 2011, several white actors -- including Kristen Stewart, Dane DeHaan, and Garrett Hedlund -- had been attached to star in an incarnation of a live-action Akira movie that eventually fell apart. With the growing awareness of and backlash against Hollywood's long penchant for "whitewashing" casting of stories featuring Asian characters, many fans have been concerned that will happen again if a live-action Akira movie does ever happen. But when asked if he would cast Asian leads, Waititi insisted that he would ... IF he does end up directing Akira.
"Yeah. actually Asian teenagers would be the way to do it for me and probably no, not, like no name, I mean sort of unfound, untapped talent. Yeah, I'd probably want to take it a bit back more towards the books." Waititi later added that he meant "all" the books in the six-volume manga series.
Taika Waititi's next directorial project is expected to be the World War II dramedy Jojo Rabbit, which reportedly begins filming next spring.
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