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This is one that has been hovering with Warner for years. In 2009 it got close to being greenlit but fell at the last (unknown) hurdle IIRC. Then earlier this year it was rumoured Keanu Reeves had been approached to play Kaneda. Well, it appears it may finally get greenlit this week according to Variety.

http://www.showblitz.com/2011/10/greenlight-decision-looming-for-wbs-akira.html

 

Approach with caution...

Greenlit today with a $90m budget.

oh dear. $90 million? That's not much these days and Akira needs to think big.

Quote from: Jon on October 20, 2011, 09:15:54 PM
oh dear. $90 million? That's not much these days and Akira needs to think big.

Well, with the right CGI Team some of the surely needed computer effects can be done cheap and still be "beautiful", well, seamless.


EDIT:
Battle Los Angeles had a reported budget of $70M.
Gamer had a budget of $15M.
Skyline had a budet of $10M.
All not great movies, but all with servicable special effects.

Will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (Orphan). Seemingly Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy) is frontrunner to play Kaneda, Gary Oldman has been offered the role of The Colonel and Helena Bonham-Carter has been offered the role of Lady Miyako.
http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/10/breaking-gary-oldman-and-helena-bonham-carter-offered-akira.php

Oldman and Bonham-Carter are reliable enough talent IMO.

They are, but what was the last film you saw that was any good following such attention, compromise, reduced budget and now with a mediocre director? It needed a big name behind the camera, not in front and this can't even boast a big producer.

True. I have seen 3 of Collet's 4 movies:
House of Wax - Um, yeah. I would need to rewatch but it wasn't very good.
Goal II - I enjoyed the trilogy but it was nothing great. 3/5
Orphan - Not seen but heard lots of good things.
Unknown - I dug it. 4/5

He seems to be getting better as time goes on anyway and he is very good with getting the right shots for the right moments. Either way, it's always going to be an uphill struggle when the product has many fanboys. Even Nolan was looked down at when it was first announced that he would be doing Batman, despite the crap Batman films before him, and the fact he had a good track record.

Garrett Hedlund has gone from frontrunner to being in negotiations:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045537

Keira Knightley has been approached for Kei.

After auditioning and casting some roles, director Jaume Collet-Serra has announced Warner have once again pulled the plug...

This must be costing Warner millions just in starting and stopping. Bloody hell.

Probably for the best.