Zac Efron 'to play lead in Akira remake
Options
dontdiedontkillanyon
Members Posts: 10,172 ✭✭✭✭✭
Zac Efron 'to play lead in Akira remake'
High School Musical star Zac Efron lined up to play Shotaro Kaneda in Hollywood version of classic Japanese anime based on manga comic, reports say
He is the blue-eyed star of the High School Musical series and dream date for teenage girls across the globe. It is a classic cult Japanese anime and manga comic which maintains a heady reputation among fans of the genres more than 20 years after its initial release. Now, according to reports in the blogosphere, the terms Zac Efron and Akira may become forever connected after the actor was touted to star in a planned Hollywood remake.
In what would be one of the strangest casting decisions of all time, Efron is reportedly in line for the leading role of Shotaro Kaneda in Warner Bros's live-action English language version, according to both the ? Disgusting and Slash Film blogs. The project is being lined up as a two-part adaptation, with From Hell's Hughes brothers set to direct. ? Disgusting also reports that Morgan Freeman has been offered the role of The Colonel, the head of a sinister government project in the original film and comic book series.
Akira was originally a 2,182-page manga epic which was adapted by director Katsuhiro Otomo into a two-hour film. Despite its complex, densely packed storyline, it has gained huge popularity over time since its release and helped to fuel the growth of anime's popularity outside of Japan.
The Hollywood version would presumably transport the action from the original's Japanese setting to a US location. In Otomo's film, the action takes place in Neo-Tokyo, a city built on an artificial island in Tokyo bay following the destruction of the original Tokyo in an explosion 30 years previously. Akira is the name of a young boy whose powers led to the disaster. Kaneda, the role apparently snapped up by Efron, is a biker and gang leader who discovers that his childhood friend Tetsuo is developing similar destructive powers.
Efron has somewhat hedged his bets since the most recent High School Musical film, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which appeared in 2008. He has appeared in teen-friendly fare such as 17 Again and the recent The Life and Death of Charlie St Cloud, and also more adult-oriented movies such as Me and Orson Welles.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/08/zac-efron-akira-shotaro-kaneda
High School Musical star Zac Efron lined up to play Shotaro Kaneda in Hollywood version of classic Japanese anime based on manga comic, reports say
He is the blue-eyed star of the High School Musical series and dream date for teenage girls across the globe. It is a classic cult Japanese anime and manga comic which maintains a heady reputation among fans of the genres more than 20 years after its initial release. Now, according to reports in the blogosphere, the terms Zac Efron and Akira may become forever connected after the actor was touted to star in a planned Hollywood remake.
In what would be one of the strangest casting decisions of all time, Efron is reportedly in line for the leading role of Shotaro Kaneda in Warner Bros's live-action English language version, according to both the ? Disgusting and Slash Film blogs. The project is being lined up as a two-part adaptation, with From Hell's Hughes brothers set to direct. ? Disgusting also reports that Morgan Freeman has been offered the role of The Colonel, the head of a sinister government project in the original film and comic book series.
Akira was originally a 2,182-page manga epic which was adapted by director Katsuhiro Otomo into a two-hour film. Despite its complex, densely packed storyline, it has gained huge popularity over time since its release and helped to fuel the growth of anime's popularity outside of Japan.
The Hollywood version would presumably transport the action from the original's Japanese setting to a US location. In Otomo's film, the action takes place in Neo-Tokyo, a city built on an artificial island in Tokyo bay following the destruction of the original Tokyo in an explosion 30 years previously. Akira is the name of a young boy whose powers led to the disaster. Kaneda, the role apparently snapped up by Efron, is a biker and gang leader who discovers that his childhood friend Tetsuo is developing similar destructive powers.
Efron has somewhat hedged his bets since the most recent High School Musical film, High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which appeared in 2008. He has appeared in teen-friendly fare such as 17 Again and the recent The Life and Death of Charlie St Cloud, and also more adult-oriented movies such as Me and Orson Welles.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/08/zac-efron-akira-shotaro-kaneda
Comments
-
The user and all related content has been deleted.
-
Well dude does kinda look the part, and since the article clearly says that the setting will likely be the US for this version, it fits. I'm not saying I'm a big fan of this move, but it fits. Let's face it, the chances of Hollywood not ? up a live action movie based on an anime were pretty small to begin with.
-
SMGDH @ this...
-
smfh......
-
doesnt surprise me
-
they definitely aren't listening to fans, why would anyone go see this ?
-
after seeing what they did to dragon ball is it surprising???
-
? ?!?!? ? ? ? @!!! Another white boy stealing a great ethnic role
-
In all honesty who would be the Japanese actor that could really pull this off? Keep in mind that the actor would have to be well known, seeing as how its for an english audience the actor would have to speak english without too harsh an accent, and most importantly he would have to be a good actor (not saying Efron is). He cant simply look like the character he needs to be able to pull of the role.
-
In all honesty who would be the Japanese actor that could really pull this off? Keep in mind that the actor would have to be well known, seeing as how its for an english audience the actor would have to speak english without too harsh an accent, and most importantly he would have to be a good actor (not saying Efron is). He cant simply look like the character he needs to be able to pull of the role.
? that, they need to make that ? believable, and be true to the original material -
In all honesty who would be the Japanese actor that could really pull this off? Keep in mind that the actor would have to be well known, seeing as how its for an english audience the actor would have to speak english without too harsh an accent, and most importantly he would have to be a good actor (not saying Efron is). He cant simply look like the character he needs to be able to pull of the role.
r u trying to imply that no japanese person in the world could play a japenese character....FOH -
why cant hollywood just leave some ? alone....Akria does not need to be remade at all it was perfect!!! what the ? are they gonna doe have him sing and dance for Vanessa Hudgens hairy snatch
-
In all honesty who would be the Japanese actor that could really pull this off? Keep in mind that the actor would have to be well known, seeing as how its for an english audience the actor would have to speak english without too harsh an accent, and most importantly he would have to be a good actor (not saying Efron is). He cant simply look like the character he needs to be able to pull of the role.
C'mon, really? I'm sure there are plenty of Asian actors out there who can do this part justice.
The problem with Hollywood is that they keep on assuming that America is so stupid or racist to accept some non-white character on screen. It's like they are scared that people in the movie theater's are going to be like "what the hell is this? Asians actors playing Asians? ? " and walk out in droves. You should feel insulted by this. It's not even about minorities anymore, it's about being treated with respect as a movie fan. -
In all honesty who would be the Japanese actor that could really pull this off? Keep in mind that the actor would have to be well known, seeing as how its for an english audience the actor would have to speak english without too harsh an accent, and most importantly he would have to be a good actor (not saying Efron is). He cant simply look like the character he needs to be able to pull of the role.
What kind of jedi mind trick did you just try to pull? Was heath ledger really that well known when he played the joker. Wasnt crouching tiger released with sub-titles & received plenty of awards for its success. Why should it even be shot in english. And if it was u dont think a japanese actor cant pull it off?Im sorry but you sound real ignorant right now. Personally I think hollywood just dont give a ? , theyve been doing it since the old westerns movies where they had white people portraying indians. Hollywood knows all people are not closeminded, its theyre blatant way of taking something and claiming it as theyre own. They done it then & theyre doing it now,its as simple as that. -
I'm still waiting for the day when they confirm they're remaking Ghost in The Shell, then I'll be ? off
I'm not even a fan of the original Akira film but you know any kind of Hollywood remake is going to be nothing but fail. It's clear no one really wants this film. Hollywood really should just let this one go -
Yea this'll be ass. I STILL don't understand the ending of Akira though. This is just Hollywood doing that ? again, but remember what Chris Rock said " It's alright, if it's ALL White"
-
no matter what,fans will flock to see this ? .
everyone gets up in arms about casting and misuse of source material,,,but in the end they still go see the ? .
i think the only time fans stuck to they guns was on Tekken and Do or Alive and thats cuz those movies were not even advertised as being out in america. they prolly had 2 screens total in montana movie houses
fans even went to go see that live action DBZ movie what was an abomination -
I'm not saying a Japenese actor couldnt do it. I am asking who would it be? From a financial standpoint this movie would have to be a blockbuster, because to do it any justice it would need a big budget. The studio would need to recoup and make a profit. A no name Asian actor is not going to be a big draw, no name white actors are rarely a big draw. So which Asian actor would it be? Most of the known asian actors are too old to play the part.
-
clairascanbe wrote: »What kind of jedi mind trick did you just try to pull? Was heath ledger really that well known when he played the joker. Wasnt crouching tiger released with sub-titles & received plenty of awards for its success. Why should it even be shot in english. And if it was u dont think a japanese actor cant pull it off?Im sorry but you sound real ignorant right now. Personally I think hollywood just dont give a ? , theyve been doing it since the old westerns movies where they had white people portraying indians. Hollywood knows all people are not closeminded, its theyre blatant way of taking something and claiming it as theyre own. They done it then & theyre doing it now,its as simple as that.
Heath Ledger was a star before he did Dark Knight, he was highly acclaimed due to his performance in Brokeback Mountain. Crouching Tiger had Chow Yun Fat who was a well known asian actor and Michelle Yeoh was already a Bond girl. Also both Fat and Yeoh are TREMENDOUS actors, they arent some nobodies. Now neither of these two actors were massive stars but they were well known. Akira being a blockbuster would have to be made in english, you cant have an unknown asian actor, japanese cast, and it be completely made in Japanese. Your gonna alienate a wide demographic with that. You need to have something the audience can identify with either a known actor, or shot in english or set in North America.
Again I am not saying a japanese actor couldnt pull it off, but who is it going to be? -
.............. -
? outta here wit this ?
-
arbitration wrote: »C'mon, really? I'm sure there are plenty of Asian actors out there who can do this part justice.
The problem with Hollywood is that they keep on assuming that America is so stupid or racist to accept some non-white character on screen. It's like they are scared that people in the movie theater's are going to be like "what the hell is this? Asians actors playing Asians? ? " and walk out in droves. You should feel insulted by this. It's not even about minorities anymore, it's about being treated with respect as a movie fan.
lolz......... -
biggyboy_karl wrote: »I want to see this made in japanese by a japanese cast and director.
this is about to be like the last airbender movie -
in related news mickey rourke has been cast as ghengis khan << no joke
-
Why the ? would a grown ass man want to see zac efron??? Yet any movie with Morgan Freeman gets 5 stars but zac efron??? If they would've kept the main character as Leonardo dicaprio I would go see it... But zac ? efron u can go ahead and put Taylor Swift as the leading chick role.
![[Deleted User]](https://wb.vanillicon.com/v2/b26bfbf7cca7b014faa8ceaf4da7ed14.svg)
