Considered one of the greatest anime films of all-time, not to mention a classic manga series, it's easy to see why Akira has been a target for Warner Bros. for so long. The studio has been trying, and failing, for years to mount a live-action version, but casting and production troubles have consistently stalled it out. After a few years in limbo, the project was quietly revived when Daredevil showrunner Marco J. Ramirez was hired to write a new screenplay. Now there's word of a new development that may involve Christopher Nolan.
According to Den of Geek, Warner Bros. is aiming to turn Akira into a big screen trilogy. And to help get it off the ground finally they have Nolan involved in some capacity. He's rumored to have met with a "previously attached" filmmaker about directing it, but he won't be going behind the camera himself. That leaves open a few possibilities., Apparently it's not Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan) who was the closest to get the film going back in 2011. That leaves Albert Hughes (Menace II Society) who was the first to take it on before dropping out, and also Ruairi Robinson (short film The Leviathan) as likely candidates. My gut tells me it could be Robinson, but I'm really hoping it's Hughes, who hasn't directed anything since The Book of Eli.
If anyone has the clout to get Akira moving it would be Nolan, but this is all just speculation for now.
