The star of "The Aviator" has joined the Warner Bros. Pictures' project 'Untitled Akira Project' as the anime adaptation film's producer.
- Feb 21, 2008
AceShowbiz - "Blood Diamond" star Leonardo DiCaprio has been set to produce "Untitled Akira Project" an adaptation film from classic anime "Akira". According to Hollywood Reporter, the 33-year-old actor is going to produce the film through his production house, Appian Way.
Reportedly, the movie star will be teaming with Andrew Lazar from Mad Chance production house as well as Jennifer Davisson for the producer role. Whether he will only be the producer or going to be involved more in the Ruairi Robinson-directed film hasn't been confirmed yet as there are no news about the film's casting.
Originally a manga, "Akira" was made into an animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo earlier. The story centers on a teenage biker gang member who became a government experiment subject that let loose his hidden power. It was set in a neon-lit postapocalyptic "New Tokyo" in 2019. It was reported that the anime is going to be brought up to the big screen as a two-part epic.
This project won't be DiCaprio's first time being a producer. He has been involved as executive producer as well as producer of several films, including "The Assassination of Richard Nixon", "The Aviator" and "Gardener of Eden". His next project as the producer are "The Chancellor Manuscript", "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt", "Conspiracy of Fools" and "In Dark Woods".
