The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the big-budget, live-action version of Akira that was to be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra has been shut down due to casting, budget, and script issues.
The production offices in Vancouver are being closed and everyone sent home while the producers and director work on trying to fix the script. One insider claims that one of the goals of this meeting is to try and bring the $90 million dollar budget down to between $60 and $70 million, while another says that the script is the bigger issue and that the project will stick to its $90 million budget.
Casting has been another big concern for the production. Currently, the project only has Garrett Hedlund signed on to star, while Kristen Stewart, Ken Wattanabe, and Helena Bonham Carter are currently in negotiations. One of the reasons the studio wants to bring the price tag down some is due to the number of stars they are hoping to acquire for the film.
This is not the first time Akira has faced this kind of problem. The project has previously been resurrected three times with various directors attached. However, the project is apparently not officially dead yet as Warner Bros. seems very intent on getting it made. According to insiders though, if the problems are not resolved, the project could end up being shelved entirely.
What do you think? Is this a good thing, or were you actually starting to look forward to this? Let us know in the comments.