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Gary Whitta Discusses Live-Action Akira's Early Drafts
posted on by Egan Loo
The ComingSoon.net reports on Sunday on an update that screenwriter Gary Whitta gave regarding his work on Warner Brothers and Appian Way's planned live-action film adaptation of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Akira manga. Whitta noted that he had now worked on the project "for about a year," but added his "very, very preliminary" script drafts adapted all six volumes of the manga. (The 1988 Akira anime film was made while the original 1982-1990 manga was still being serialized.)
Whitta acknowledged that he never had a formal meeting with Otomo, but said that the staff did receive notes from Otomo "and kept in touch." Whitta is no longer being kept up-to-date on the project, and according to ComingSoon.net, the film's script is now being handled by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, The Aviator) is producing the planned live-action film adaptation through his Appian Way production company. Mad Chance producer Andrew Lazar (Jonah Hex, Space Cowboys) said at Comic-Con International in August that the live-action project "is a real priority project for Warner Brothers" but is not likely to go into production before the third quarter of 2010 for a 2011 release.
Update: More background information added.
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