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Christopher Nolan reportedly producing an ‘Akira’ Trilogy for Warner Bros.

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S

SuperStiltzkin

Member
Are there any good Japanese actors in the right age range who would fit the role? I'm not trying to justify any white washing, but, from what I've seen of dramas and movies, really good,young japanese actors seems to be a rare commodity.
 
M

Mushroomer25

Member
BobbyRoberts said:
Again, I don't think this is necessarily true at all, or rather, the bar for "high profile talent" has been significantly lowered in the last 20-25 years. "Star Power" isn't really as much a factor as it used to be, and the level at which "Star" counts isn't as high as it once was, and is allowed to be even lower the stronger the concept/branding is.

Paul Rudd headlined a sci-fi action adventure this year. Chris Pratt headlined one last year. Vin Diesel can't open anything that doesn't have cars and The Rock also in it (and the Rock couldn't open shit until this year, and he had to co-star with the San Andreas fault). Nobody knows who the fuck any of the actors in Straight Outta Compton are, except for that one dude from Leverage, and he got stuck playing Ren so it didn't matter anyway.
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Paul Rudd was already a widely recognized movie star before Ant-Man. Pratt had a successful TV career, though his casting was still seen as a massive gamble. And in both those cases, they had the recognizable Marvel brand name to fall back on. Simply put, they're are no suitable actors in Hollywood for this film, who are famous enough to lead a multi-million dollar trilogy.

Akira has effectively no brand recognition in the US. It's beloved, but the vast majority of the film's potiental audience had never heard of it. Nolan's name would be a boost, but I don't see that being enough to make this happen. A trilogy of Akira films would be a huge investment, and it's loaded with girls in the process of making it a hit. It'd be the most dangerous money WB could possibly spend.
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
SuperStiltzkin said:
Are there any good Japanese actors in the right age range who would fit the role? I'm not trying to justify any white washing, but, from what I've seen of dramas and movies, really good,young japanese actors seems to be a rare commodity.
Click to expand...

Probably not that rare a commodity, it's just nobody's all that concerned with giving any of them enough of a stage or spotlight that we might know who they are offhand.

Is Nolan the guy to try changing that? That's a good question. Would he even care to be that guy?

Mushroomer25 said:
Paul Rudd was already a widely recognized movie star before Ant-Man.
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Again: the dilution of the phrase "movie star" is what I'm getting at. The idea that Paul Rudd is a recognized movie star isn't really in question. It's what that reality means for the potency of the term "Movie Star." I know they had the marvel brand to fall back on. That's basically my argument: If the concept/branding is strong enough, the bar for what you call "Movie Star" can (and does) move lower and lower.

Basically, you keep arguing for a star system that doesn't really exist in Hollywood to as powerful a level (certainly not the one from the late 90s/early 2000s), and a star-driven approach that Hollywood's proven isn't even really all that necessary, and I'm arguing that we're very much in the era of branding more than anything, and I don't think the "full-stop" you're trying to draw is as boldfaced and underlined as you're suggesting.

Akira has effectively no brand recognition in the US
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I don't think this is true. Apparently neither does Warners. Or, if this rumor is even slightly true, Nolan. Who has turned his own name into a brand in and of itself.
 
G

Gnome

Member
SuperStiltzkin said:
Are there any good Japanese actors in the right age range who would fit the role? I'm not trying to justify any white washing, but, from what I've seen of dramas and movies, really good,young japanese actors seems to be a rare commodity.
Click to expand...

Thing is, there probably is, but with the structure of Hollywood they are probably no-name actors because there aren't enough roles out there for them to make a name for themselves. As far as actors who are famous in Japan, they would have to speak really good English before Hollywood would consider them for a blockbuster type movie, blockbusters try to hit the widest demographic, and that means no subtitles.
 
0

0.1.1.2.3.5.8.13.21.34.55

Banned
Hopefully it's not as shitty as Interstellar. Akira is hard-sci fi, please none of this magic book shelf piano string black hole garbage.

Dudes made some stellar films, no doubt... Guess I'm just fearful of Hollywood shitting up another classic.
 
S

SuperStiltzkin

Member
BobbyRoberts said:
Probably not that rare a commodity, it's just nobody's all that concerned with giving any of them enough of a stage or spotlight that we might know who they are offhand.

Is Nolan the guy to try changing that? That's a good question. Would he even care to be that guy?



Again: the dilution of the phrase "movie star" is what I'm getting at. The idea that Paul Rudd is a recognized movie star isn't really in question. It's what that reality means for the potency of the term "Movie Star." I know they had the marvel brand to fall back on. That's basically my argument: If the concept/branding is strong enough, the bar for what you call "Movie Star" can (and does) move lower and lower.

Basically, you keep arguing for a star system that doesn't really exist in Hollywood, and a star-driven approach that Hollywood's proven isn't even really all that necessary, and I'm arguing that we're very much in the era of branding more than anything, and I don't think the "full-stop" you're trying to draw is as boldfaced and underlined as you're suggesting.

I don't think this is true. Apparently neither does Warners. Or, if this rumor is even slightly true, Nolan. Who has turned his own name into a brand in and of itself.
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Gnome said:
Thing is, there probably is, but with the structure of Hollywood they are probably no-name actors because there aren't enough roles out there for them to make a name for themselves. As far as actors who are famous in Japan, they would have to speak really good English before Hollywood would consider them for a blockbuster type movie, blockbusters try to hit the widest demographic, and that means no subtitles.
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For some reason I was only thinking of native Japanese actors because of Japanese dramas and movies I've seen. But you guys are right, non-native Asian actors don't really get many opportunities to prove their talents outside of stereotypical asian roles.

Outside of Ken Watanabe and Hiroyuki Sanada, there aren't a ton of Japanese actors Hollywood draws from. I think in Japan, Ken's known as Hollywood's go-to Japanese guy. He's a good actor, but if they need someone younger than him then they are shit out of luck or have to look really hard.
 
Rentahamster

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
Hopefully it's not as shitty as Interstellar. Akira is hard-sci fi, please none of this magic book shelf piano string black hole garbage.

Dudes made some stellar films, no doubt... Guess I'm just fearful of Hollywood shitting up another classic.
Click to expand...

It is?

Interstellar's portrayal of science was one of the best.
 
F

Future Foundation

Member
Hopefully it's not as shitty as Interstellar. Akira is hard-sci fi, please none of this magic book shelf piano string black hole garbage.

Dudes made some stellar films, no doubt... Guess I'm just fearful of Hollywood shitting up another classic.
Click to expand...

It is?
 
Rentahamster

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
It actually was... Until the end, when Nolan went for the "feels" (and subsequently threw science out the window).
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All of the more fantastical elements of the movie were born out of theoretical science and weren't just pulled out of his ass though.
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
Until the end, when Nolan went for the "feels" (and subsequently threw science out the window).
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Nolan was going for "the feels" for the entirety of the film.

The idea that "feels" and "science" can't occupy the same space in a story isn't necessarily accurate, either.
 
V

Valkerionseven

Member
SuperStiltzkin said:
Are there any good Japanese actors in the right age range who would fit the role? I'm not trying to justify any white washing, but, from what I've seen of dramas and movies, really good,young japanese actors seems to be a rare commodity.
Click to expand...

Most of them have no real acting training either is another part of the problem, especially in drama's and "for Japan" movies most of their big names are models and whatever chosen since they look good on camera.

Japan has some good actors but yeah finding them is hard, partly because of how they are directed.

Either way, no thanks to this. Not for a trilogy anyway, could be interesting though. Can't be worse than Fantastic 4's rip off of the psychic powers scene in the hospital lol. That was seriously scene for scene and felt like no one else noticed it.
 
R

RedSwirl

Junior Member
I remember when those old storyboards came out and people started saying it didn't look bad. They looked like the manga had been redrawn by a DC Comics artist.

If this ever actually get's out of development hell is there any chance you could end up with some kind of compromised setting with a roughly half-and-half Japanese/American cast? I'm thinking it's the only thing Hollywood is capable of without whitewashing the entire thing. I still dread seeing it though.

As for the number of films, I remember the original plan being two movies, which I think makes sense if you want to tell the whole story but maintain a pace similar to the anime movie.

Whatever they do, I feel like the most important thing is nailing the right visual style. It needs to be a very visual and kinetic film, not unlike Fury Road.
 
U

User 73706

Banned
Servbot24 said:
Don't think he's the best choice, but I would still buy a ticket to see his take.

I bet Nolan could make a great Death Note movie.
Click to expand...

*bwum bwum*

"I'll be solving math equations... with my left hand..."

*bwum bwumm*

"and eating... with my right..."

*BWRM BWRR* *bup*

*BWRRR BWRRRRMMMMMM* *bup*

"I'll take a potato chip..." *BWRRRRMMM BWRRRRMMMMM, BWRRRRMMMM BWRRRMMMMMMM*

"AND EAT IT!" *BRNNNNNNNN BWEEEEEEEEEEEEE

BRRRRRNNNNNN BWEEEEEEEE*

*cinematic zim-zam percussion boom*

*BRRRRENNNNNNNHHHHHHHHH*

*somber piano notes*

*potato chip explodes into glitter*
 
T

timetokill

Banned
Hopefully it's not as shitty as Interstellar. Akira is hard-sci fi, please none of this magic book shelf piano string black hole garbage.

Dudes made some stellar films, no doubt... Guess I'm just fearful of Hollywood shitting up another classic.
Click to expand...

Akira is hard sci fi? In what universe? lol

By the way Interstellar was very well-researched and theorized, including the ending. You should read the book behind it, or see Neil deGrasse Tyson's thoughts on it. The science is sound, and there's a bit of flavor for story purposes.
 
K

kyser73

Member
Hopefully it's not as shitty as Interstellar. Akira is hard-sci fi, please none of this magic book shelf piano string black hole garbage.

Dudes made some stellar films, no doubt... Guess I'm just fearful of Hollywood shitting up another classic.
Click to expand...

No it isn't.

Unless you think genetically engineered psychokinetic powers are in any way grounded in actual science.

The magic book shelf is based on the theory of quantum entanglement, which is about as hard science as you can get.

And lol at all the 'Does it need to be a trilogy' comments...
 
A

Astral

Member
Sucks that he's not directing but I hope they put a lot of care into it. At the very least they need to have Kaneda's theme.

RASERA

RASERA

RASE RASE RASERA
 
A

Akahige

Member
It would be cool to see a Nolan produced Akira film with an up and coming director with a unique visual eye like Ben Wheately or even an established director like Darren Aronofsky. I don't actually picture this film happening at all but I did think the same about GitS.

There are a lot of Japanese actors with a more natural acting style, the entire cast of Letters From Iwo Jima was made of actors like that. The hard part would be finding actors with a strong enough English language proficiency. Even saying that though if the the idea that the main cast would be made up of Japanese actors outside a role or maybe two is laughable to me.
 
A

AColdDay

Member
I love Nolan, I love Akira. I'm beyond pumped at this news. The only way it could be better is if Nolan was directing it.
 
C

Crocodile

Member
Hollywood's hard-on for Akira/Evangelion will never end will it? I mean I guess if they think they can do a good job give it a try but there are so many quality anime/manga (if they really want to use that as a source) that would be some much easier to adapt into Live Action and have a good product.
 
W

Walpurgis

Banned
Servbot24 said:
I bet Nolan could make a great Death Note movie.
Click to expand...

holy-sht.gif
 
A

Aurongel

Member
Einchy said:
You'd think Christopher Nolan was some hack director judging by this thread.
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thisisneogaf.gif

Nolan hate is some of the most overplayed shtick on GAF. Dude had 2 years of ceaseless praise on here after making one of the greatest comic book films of all time and then a half decade of whining in response to his overdone "prodigal son" status.
 
W

wildfire

Banned
Akira has great animation but it was never had a great story. Nolan can salvage it but he doesn't need 3 movies to do it. He can do it with 1.
 
VARIA

VARIA

Member
A trilogy seems unnecessary considering how well the animated film was able to adapt the manga. It's going to suck having to wait 'till the third movie for the final showdown between Kaneda & Tetsuo.
 
S

Servbot24

Banned
Sub-Zero at a Starbucks said:
*bwum bwum*

"I'll be solving math equations... with my left hand..."

*bwum bwumm*

"and eating... with my right..."

*BWRM BWRR* *bup*

*BWRRR BWRRRRMMMMMM* *bup*

"I'll take a potato chip..." *BWRRRRMMM BWRRRRMMMMM, BWRRRRMMMM BWRRRMMMMMMM*

"AND EAT IT!" *BRNNNNNNNN BWEEEEEEEEEEEEE

BRRRRRNNNNNN BWEEEEEEEE*

*cinematic zim-zam percussion boom*

*BRRRRENNNNNNNHHHHHHHHH*

*somber piano notes*

*potato chip explodes into glitter*
Click to expand...

I'm there day 1!
 
S

Scrooged

Totally wronger about Nintendo's business decisions.
Oh shit! This better happen.


VARIA said:
A trilogy seems unnecessary considering how well the animated film was able to adapt the manga. It's going to suck having to wait 'till the third movie for the final showdown between Kaneda & Tetsuo.
Click to expand...

Naw man. The movie is good, but it cut out A LOT of the story. Neo Tokyo gets destroyed halfway through the manga.
 
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