For over 20 years, Akira fans watched Warner Bros fumble around with one of the most influential anime and manga titles of all time. From Taika Waititi and Leonardo DiCaprio to a carousel of casting rumors and eight-figure development budgets, the live-action adaptation of Akira has felt more like an extended fever dream than a project nearing reality. But now, that dream (or nightmare) has officially ended.
According to Deadline, the film rights to Akira have lapsed at Warner Bros and returned to their original home: Japanese publisher Kodansha.
And honestly? That might be the best thing that could’ve happened.
A 20-Year Hollywood Holding Pattern
Warner Bros first secured the rights in 2002 and cycled through a lineup of directors including Stephen Norrington, Albert Hughes, Jaume Collet-Serra, and Taika Waititi. Even Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way circled the project. The production burned through massive budgets, scripts, California tax credits, and big-name talent (Kristen Stewart, Ken Watanabe, and Michael Pitt were all attached at various points) but somehow, it never made it past development hell.
Maybe that was a blessing.
Why Fans Should Be Excited Now
Let’s be honest: Hollywood’s track record for adapting anime has been… rough. Ghost in the Shell got whitewashed into a Scarlett Johansson vehicle. Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop crashed so hard it got canceled in under a month. Even the original creators often wince at the results. (Bebop creator Shinichir? Watanabe famously couldn’t even finish an episode.)
With the rights now back in Kodansha’s hands, the door is wide open for Akira to be reimagined on its own terms. That could mean a faithful Japanese-led adaptation. It could mean a visionary animated sequel or reboot with Katsuhiro Otomo’s blessing. Or it could mean Akira remains untouched, a perfect stand-alone work of art that Hollywood can no longer distort.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what it needed.
The Next Phase Begins, Finally
Reports suggest a bidding war is already underway, though no studios or production companies have been named yet. But this time, the ball is in Kodansha’s court. And if they choose to move forward, they’ll be doing so with the hard-earned lessons of two decades of missteps in their rearview mirror, and the entire anime-loving world watching.
For fans who’ve waited since 1988 for a real return to Neo-Tokyo, the future just got a lot brighter.
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