The live-action adaptation of Akira is probably one of the longest-running development hell stories going in Hollywood today.
The project had a number of directors attached, all of them coming perilously close to getting it off the ground. Even our own Ruairi Robinson, who directed Last Days On Mars, was in the running for it at one point with a script from Rogue One's Garry Whitta and the writing duo behind Children Of Men, Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby.
Jaume Collet-Serra was one option, with a rumour that Zac Efron - yes, Zac Efron - playing the role of Kaneda. Imagine that for a minute.
Anyway, Deadline reports that Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is now the latest director being courted to take a stab at the film, most likely with a new script on top of it as well. So far, nothing has been officially signed and considering how many times we've reported on Akira happening, we're not going to believe it until we're sitting down for the press screening of it.
Waititi is now officially a director in demand, with Thor: Ragnarok generating a lot of positive buzz for itself from two excellent trailers so far. Not only that, Hunt For The Wilderpeople was by far the best comedy of 2016 so Waititi definitely knows how to make an interesting, original film.
If Rachel House doesn't get a cameo as a police officer or teacher, then what is even the point of getting Taika Waititi to direct?
Via Deadline
