Joseph Gordon Levitt Says No to 'Akira'
Filed under: Action, Classics, Foreign Language, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Warner Brothers, RumorMonger, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
One of my very first posts on Cinematical was on Leonardo DiCaprio's Akira remake -- and my inbox was flooded for days with cries of protest and racism. Hopefully, all of those readers will be pleased at the news that at least one Anglo-American is no longer associated with the production.Joseph Gordon-Levitt was caught by MTV at the Toronto Film Festival, where he blew off any and all suggestion that he was ever cast in the film. "That just goes to show what you can believe about what people write about movies. I love the movie Akira. I still have yet to read the manga, but that's really just a rumor. They don't have a script or anything." Quite possibly, DiCaprio isn't going to star in it either -- that was never mentioned in the initial trade stories, only from a source on Ain't It Cool News, who probably just saw a potential cast list or something.
There has been no news from the project since it was announced in February, there was nary a word about it at ComicCon, so I think we can all safely forget about seeing it next summer. Apparently, it wasn't on the fast track after all. Or maybe they heard the angry outcry from Akira fans from places like Cinematical, and are rethinking the entire thing. Perhaps the whole project is in the process of dissolving -- or maybe they heard the angry outcry from readers like you (wow, I sound like public television) and are rethinking the entire thing. Perhaps fans will get not only a faithful adaptation, but one with Japanese actors. I know, I know -- but we can dream, right?
Ron Weaseley Has Swine Flu
Quick List: Romance for Boys
Christian Bale's Rollercoaster Career_thumbnail.jpg)
Michael Bay Trashes Megan Fox, Talks 'Transformers 3' and 3D_thumbnail.jpg)
First Look: Stewart, Fanning and More Are 'The Runaways'
_thumbnail.jpg){kind=spacer}
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg){kind=spacer}
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-11-2008 @ 7:25PM
Osbo said...
Isn't he part asian?
Speaking as a part asian, of course.
Reply
9-11-2008 @ 10:00PM
joits said...
they will NEVER cast an asian in the lead for this role. not a full asian at least... he would have to be half white half asian. i am curious to see how this will turn out and i liked akira but not that much so i don't care if they mess it up or not. most likely they will but nevertheless... i'd like to see a live action movie happen.
Reply
11-14-2008 @ 6:25PM
UltimatumH said...
Lets not underestimate Leonardo Di Caprio. He has had a successful acting career which has allowed him to work with some of the best people in the business and art of film making. I understand that he is a fan of anime, and if he puts as much of his effort into it as he has in his movies, I expect great results. Even if he does not take the lead role or any at all, as a producer he will try to keep as much of the integrity and story of the original manga. This guy is in touch with the generation of people who love to watch manga, I think we can expect something worth watching. Hopefully it's amazing, it would encourage more studios to take manga seriously and share it with the world. Cheers
9-12-2008 @ 12:36AM
Batzarro said...
Japanese actors? Minimum it would be some Japanese actors, with assorted asian and and probably some filipinos as well. Wich would cause absolutely no outrage from anyone...
Reply
9-12-2008 @ 12:56AM
MovieFan said...
I'm all for keeping it original. And I know for a fact I'm not alone in this. Most people don't have the time or outlet to say this. But I know many people out there reading this agrees with me.
And may the best actor(s)/actresses win the part. No matter what skin color (Asian preferably since its engrained in our minds that Akira was frickin based in Japan, the characters, etc, etc) -- [BTW I'm Chinese and I love Japanese culture]
This is like with the whole Memoirs Of A Geisha movie debacle with the casting and all. The Hollywood Machine is literally run by a handful of powerful Caucasian (appearance wise) bigwigs.
The only way to change things like casting is.....go out there, find em and f*ck them. Literally, go and date them and f*ck them in their ginormous mansion. It worked for Julie Chen [Host of Big Brother on CBS]. Then you have power...poosy power. ;-P
I have nothing against Julie Chen by the way. I'm sure she was the one being wooed by Les Moonves and his wrinkly arse.
Where did Hollywood get the idea that casting an Asian would be such No-No? I love being Asian. I love other Asians. I even love white people. Even the ones who disagree with me.
The last I remember, Asians in starring roles/production roles have performed relatively well in terms of box office. Why so scared Hollywood?
We gave you The 7th Samurai [The Magnificent 7], The Departed [Infernal Affairs], The Grudge [Ju-On], etc all for you to copy off of us and rehash.
Now, you're gonna do that with frickin Akira? People are already saying Dragon Ball Z will flop because of who they cast for Goku.
Dont mess this one up like you did with Final Fantasy -- storywise.
Reply
9-12-2008 @ 8:18AM
bongo123 said...
As brilliant as the original is as well as the manga, lets face it, its hollywood and it'll be recast with hip young actors and the whole thing will shift to LA and will end up being directed by Michael Bay, im a total fan of Akira but i ain't gonna get my knickers in a twist over it like the transformers fans, besides theres no one i can think of better than Bay to handle some of the outrageous action scenes within the anime
Reply
9-12-2008 @ 8:51AM
juicerino said...
yeah, Micheal Bay, great idea.
maybe we can just bury all the creativity that was Akira, with one giant pile of garbage.
the remakes are becoming...painful.
9-12-2008 @ 9:34AM
John R said...
Please, PLEASE! Stop this madness.
HOLLYWOOD! JUST. DON'T. DO. IT.
Dragonball looks silly, 21 was a travesty and the kid in Forbidden Kingdom was COMPLETELY unnecessary. Take them as lessons learned.
[PS: Keanu in "Bebop"? Seriously? Yeah and main's name is Spike Spiegel so he doesn't have to be Asian but can't we get more imaginative casting?]
Reply
9-15-2008 @ 11:09AM
V said...
I'm not a fan of remakes as it is...but for the record, Dragon Ball SHOULD be silly. People forget that that series was mainly a parody of fighting shounen....so it's supposed to be silly.
I'm trying to just sit back and not care...because the series was ridiculous, the movie might as well be. You wanna see a BAD dragonball remake? There's a chinese one floating around that's billiantly terrible.
Goku's played by a girl. Awesome.