Warner Bros.' live-action movie "Akira" is officially scheduled to start filming in July this year

According to The Verge, the live-action version of "Akira", which was previously rumored to start shooting in July this year, has been officially scheduled to be released in North America on May 21, 2021. The film was first announced in the fall of 2017 and will be directed by Taika Waititi, the director of "Thor 3: Ragnarok", and is expected to start shooting on July 15 this year.

The live-action version of "Akira" is a well-known "nail house" project for Hollywood to adapt Japanese anime. Warner bought the film adaptation rights of Katsuhiro Otomo's comic book series "Akira" as early as 2002. Over the past 15 years, due to repeated changes in funding, scripts and main creators, the preparation of the film has been stagnant.

In 2017, foreign media reported that Warner Bros. was in talks with Taika Waititi to direct the film. According to the latest news, Waititi has confirmed that he will co-write the script with Michael Golamco, and Warner Bros. is currently actively selecting actors.

In 1988, Katsuhiro Otomo directed the animated film "Akira" based on the manga of the same name. The story revolves around the protagonist's exploration of the secrets of military experiments and his attempts to save his companions.

According to earlier news, the setting of the American version of "Akira" will be moved from Japan to the United States, and "New Tokyo" will be changed to "New Manhattan". Warner Bros. plans to create two "Akira" series movies based on the original six comics, each covering three comics. Appian Way Productions, the production company of Leonardo DiCaprio, will be responsible for the production of the American version of "Akira".