Interest
Twilight's Pattinson Downplays Akira Casting Report
posted on by Egan Loo
24-year-old actor Robert Pattinson (Twilight, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Water for Elephants) told MTV News that while he "loves" the Akira anime film, he is not aware of any live-action casting news beyond the report that appeared on the Deadline website last month.
In an interview posted on Tuesday, Pattinson told MTV's Josh Horowitz, "I love the movie, but I mean, I don't know. I've just seen the same things as anybody else has, really." He added with a laugh with Horowitz, "I mean, I like motorbikes."
Deadline posted what it said are "short lists" of actors who were given the script for the live-action remake of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's manga Akira. According to the site, the actors being considered for the role of Kaneda are Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Chris Pine (Star Trek), Justin Timberlake (The Social Network), and Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the LINE). According to Deadline, the actors being considered for Tetsuo are Pattinson, Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man), James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class). Warner Bros. did not respond to ANN's request for comment on the lists.
Warner Bros. and Leonardo Dicaprio's Appian Way revealed in 2008 that they had acquired the rights to adapt Akira into a live-action Hollywood film, with Gary Whitta later attached to write the script. Since then, Book of Eli co-director Albert Hughes and Harry Potter scriptwriter Steve Kloves have been brought on to the project.
DiCaprio had stated that he would produce the film (along with the live-action adaptation of Yoshiaki Kawajiri's anime Ninja Scroll), but would not act in it. Last year, a representative for Hughes and his brother Allen Hughes dismissed reports that Zac Efron (High School Musical) would be starring in Akira.
Source: MTV News via Den of Geek
