It looks like the live-action Akira is slowly moving into production with What We Do In the Shadows and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi taking the reigns over the project.
Apparently, a casting call for Waititi's new film has just been spotted online and it looks like the cast listing gives fans an idea of what kind of characters the director needs for the film. Backstage.com just recently posted a call for nine different roles, and though the project comes under the working title "Box 28," the descriptions clearly fit the main and supporting cast of the Akira franchise.
The first role goes to Jun who is described as "the leader of a street gang of teenagers and knows how to have a good time."
The call also asks for someone who can play Koichi, a character who is "constantly forced to punch up in order to survive. He's fearless to the point of recklessness," and is "haunted by the loss of a loved one."
Reina, another role in the cast list, is described as "gentle, kind, cute, compassionate. She is a member of a biker gang and cares deeply for Koichi."
Though the names might sound different, the roles and descriptions fit the same descriptions for original characters Kaneda, Tetsuo, and Kaori from the original anime movie. The casting call also has additional descriptions that point to other characters like Kei, Takashi, Kiyoko, and Masaru – the latter three of which are psychic children that both attempt at assisting and stopping Tetsuo in the original movie.
Right now we're not quite sure who's going to play the part, but Waititi has promised fans that he doesn't want to "whitewash" the project.
Akira has yet to receive an official release date, but Warner Brothers is looking to drop the film on May 21, 2021.
Read: Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi to Direct Animated Flash Gordon Movie
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