After more than 20 years of spinning its wheels, Warner Bros. has officially let go of the live-action Akira movie rights. The long-gestating project is now out of their hands, with the rights bouncing back to Kodansha, the Japanese publisher behind the original manga. For fans, this is more than just a legal update. It might just mark the end of an era of Hollywood missteps… and maybe the start of something better.
What’s Akira, and Why Does It Matter?
If you’re into anime, or even just vaguely anime-adjacent, Akira is probably on your radar. Written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo in the early ’80s, the manga became a cultural touchstone. It got the big-screen treatment in 1988 with an animated film that’s still widely considered one of the best of all time.
Set in a gritty, futuristic Neo-Tokyo, the story follows Tetsuo, a teenage biker who develops wild, destructive psychic powers after a shady government experiment. As his power spirals out of control, it’s up to his childhood friend Kaneda and a handful of underground psychics to stop him before the city gets wiped off the map. The themes? Government overreach, rebellion, personal identity, and the terrifying weight of unchecked power. Yeah, it goes deep.
Why Warner Bros. Couldn’t Get It Done
Warner Bros. first picked up the rights to adapt Akira back in 2002. Since then, the project has seen more false starts than a glitchy racing game. Directors came and went, Stephen Norrington, the Hughes brothers, Jaume Collet-Serra, and most recently, Taika Waititi, all took turns in the driver’s seat. But somehow, the engine never turned over.
At one point, the script reportedly moved the setting from Neo-Tokyo to a “Neo-Manhattan” (because, of course), and even made Kaneda and Tetsuo brothers. That went over exactly how you’d expect, with a loud collective “Nope” from longtime fans.
The cast carousel didn’t help either. Names like Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, and Ken Watanabe were all attached at various points. Leonardo DiCaprio even signed on as a producer. California tried to sweeten the deal with an $18.5 million tax incentive. Still, nothing ever made it out of pre-production.
The Problem With Live-Action Anime (Still)
Let’s be honest, Hollywood doesn’t exactly have a great track record with live-action anime. Just look at Ghost in the Shell (2017) or Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop (2021). Both got torched for tone-deaf changes, iffy casting, and completely missing what made the originals special.
Akira faced the same issues: too many cooks, too many rewrites, and a core story that just didn’t translate well when filtered through the usual blockbuster lens. It’s hard to preserve Otomo’s gritty, hyper-detailed vision when you’re constantly trying to make it “more relatable” for Western audiences.
What’s Next for Akira?
Now that Warner Bros. is out, Kodansha’s reportedly shopping the rights around, to studios, to streamers, to anyone willing to take a swing. And honestly? That might be the best shot we’ve had in years. With the streaming boom, there’s a huge appetite for bold, global stories that don’t feel like watered-down reboots.
And let’s not forget, Otomo himself hasn’t stepped away from Akira. Back in 2019, he announced plans for a new anime project expanding the universe. We haven’t heard much since, but his involvement is enough to keep the fire burning for longtime fans.
Why This Might Be a Good Thing
Sure, losing the Warner Bros. deal might seem like another setback, but maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. For years, fans have begged for a studio that respects the source material, one that understands the cultural weight, the stunning visuals, the philosophical depth.
With Kodansha holding the reins again, there’s a real shot at doing this right. All it takes is the right creative team, people who get the story and aren’t afraid to lean into its strangeness, its emotion, its pulse.
If that happens, Akira could finally leap, not just as a great anime, but as one of the few live-action adaptations that live up to the hype.
