Jordan Peele Explains Why His Akira Movie Never Happened

Jordan Peele appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast recently to talk about his career, Nope theories, and even give some insight on how he feels about his short-lived association to an Akira live-action movie. Rumors about Peele’s association with Akira came after his hit directorial debut, Get Out, but nothing was ever pushed through. Peele doesn’t regret the decision, and says that he’s happy he was able to put all that energy into his own projects.

“I want to see Neo-Tokyo,” Peele said on the podcast. He wants to feel immersed in the world of the classic manga, saying that he would like to see an “all-Japanese” cast take on the film.

Last October, Peele did an interview with Empire discussing the iconic Akira slide that he incorporated into Nope when Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer) stops a motorbike in the middle of an abandoned themepark. “I could [shoot this scene] a different way, or we could build this rig and do a practical fucking Akira slide,” explained Peele.

Warner Bros. has held the rights to a live-action Akira film for nearly 20 years, and has continually faced issues developing the film. Directors that have been previously attached or courted to direct the film include the Hughes Brothers (Book of Eli), Jaume Collet-Serra (Black Adam), George Miller (Mad Max), Justin Lin (various Fast and Furious franchise films), and, most recently, Taika Waititi (Thor: Love and Thunder). Waititi had to put the film on hold to direct Thor: Love and Thunder, but is currently still committed to making the film. No Japanese director has ever been attached to the live-action Akira, and in the project’s long-gestating history, actors like Andrew Garfield, Robert Pattinson, and Michael Fassbender have been considered for the lead character Tetsuo, with Garrett Hedlund, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, and Joaquin Phoenix being mentioned for Kaneda.

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