Taika Waititi’s Akira Is Finally Moving Forward—With Leonardo DiCaprio On Board 

For fans of anime and sci-fi alike, the wait might finally be over—Taika Waititi’s live-action adaptation of Akira is alive, well, and gearing up to make its most significant move yet. After years of development limbo, the long-anticipated film is preparing to unveil major updates in the coming months, reigniting excitement around one of the most ambitious anime-to-live-action projects in Hollywood history. And now Leonardo DiCaprio is on board too.

According to producer Andrew Lazar, who recently spoke in a Moovy TV interview on YouTube, the creative team has remained intact and is pushing forward behind the scenes. “There will be big updates soon,” Andrew Lazar promised, indicating that fans can expect concrete news—possibly including casting announcements, production timelines, or concept reveals—in the near future.

Years in the Making

Originally announced over a decade ago, the live-action Akira movie has seen numerous starts, stops, and shakeups. With Taika Waititi still attached to direct and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way on board as a producer, the film is now closer than ever to leaving the drawing board and entering full-scale production.

Based on Katsuhiro Otomo’s legendary 1988 anime film and manga series, Akira is set in a dystopian Neo-Tokyo, where biker gangs, political unrest, and psychic powers collide in a cyberpunk epic that has profoundly influenced sci-fi cinema—from The Matrix to Inception. But translating Akira’s massive scope and cultural impact into a Hollywood blockbuster has proved a monumental challenge—until now.

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Waititi’s Vision: Bold and Manga-Focused

Known for his unique style in films like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi has long emphasized a commitment to cultural authenticity, expressing his desire to cast Asian leads and base the story more on Otomo’s original manga than a simple remake of the anime.

“I want to honour the spirit of Akira,” Taika Waititi has said in previous interviews, distancing his project from the whitewashed casting controversies that have plagued other anime adaptations (Ghost in the Shell, anyone?).

His approach signals a bold artistic vision and a deep respect for the source material, something fans have demanded from day one.

Why DiCaprio’s Involvement Matters

The backing of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way adds gravitas to the project. Known for producing Oscar-winning and culturally significant films, DiCaprio’s involvement suggests that this Akira adaptation is more than a studio cash grab—it’s a passion project aimed at both visual spectacle and narrative depth.

Akira Is Finally Moving

Originally expected to release as early as 2021, Akira was pulled from Warner Bros’ schedule amid Taika Waititi’s commitments to Thor: Love and Thunder. For years, fans assumed the project was dead. But now, it’s clear: the film never died—it simply took its time.

With a consistent creative team and fresh updates incoming, Waititi’s Akira could finally fulfil a decades-long dream: bringing the neon-drenched chaos of Neo-Tokyo to life on the big screen.