8BitKid: Living Bit by Bit

The word on the street is that Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Brothers are teaming up to make a live-action version of “Akira”. They will take the manga story arc and split it into two films; the first one will be released in 2009. The setting will be changed from “Neo-Tokyo” to “New Manhattan”.

Really? Really? Does this really need to be done? Are there no “Titanic” sequel scripts lying around that LeoDio can lend his creative energies to?

This is now the second anime film near and dear to my heart to be getting the live-action treatment. “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is also in production, with WETA at the effects helm. Are anime remakes the next script-factory that Hollywood will be turning to once we run out of comic books? How long until Mila Jovovich is cast as Major Kusanagi in a new “Ghost in the Shell” film?

Now, to be fair, anime has gone in the opposite direction and been executed excellently. Osamu Tezuka and Katsuhiro Otomo teamed up to remake Fritz Lang’s classic “Metropolis” in 2001, and the result was a stunningly beautiful and entertaining re-imagining of the film.

Could it be a blast to see the characters from “Akira” come alive on the big screen? Definitely. However, I have more faith in Hollywood ruining that which I hold sacred than enhancing it. I guess we’ll have to wait until 2009 to see…

- news courtesy of Anime News Network