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Live-Action Akira Film's Plot Listed by Casting Call

Acting Auditions, an employment resource for actors, posted a plot description for the live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Akira manga on Tuesday. The short description was sent out as part of a casting call for extras and stand-ins in the film.

The description is as follows:

Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.

Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.

Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo's mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel's troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.

Acting Auditions listed the following actors and actresses as having been cast in the film; however, the website provided no source for the news:

• Kristen Stewart as Ky
• Garret Hedlund as Kaneda
• Helena Bonham-Carter as Lady Miyako
• Ken Watanabe as The Colonel

The Twitch entertainment news site reported earlier this month that Warner Brothers offered Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Inception) and Kristen Stewart (Twilight, The Runaways, Snow White and the Huntsman) the roles of Colonel and Ky, respectively, and it reported in October that Helena Bonham-Carter (A Room with a View, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The King's Speech) had been offered the role of Lady Miyako. The Hollywood Reporter trade magazine reported earlier this month that Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, Country Strong, Friday Night Lights) was in negotiations with Warner Bros. for the role of Kaneda.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.

[Via Bleeding Cool, Comic Book Movie]