They did it with Jurassic Park, a 1993 science fiction thriller based on the novel by Michael Crichton. The film grossed more than $914 million worldwide, becoming the most successful film released up to that time and is currently the highest grossing feature film in North America. It is also the most financially successful film for NBC Universal and Steven Spielberg. This feature is regarded as a landmark in the use of computer-generated imagery, and development. This success has encouraged great developments in film. Recently with the Harry Potter franchise. Harry Potter is a fantasy-adventure film series based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, Harry Potter’s “Half-Blood Prince” a 2009 film, broke the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross of all time. In five days the film made $394 million, breaking the record for biggest five-day worldwide gross in history. With a total gross of $934 million, it became the 8th highest grossing movie of all time and the second highest-grossing film of 2009 (behind Avatar). The film was also nominated for many awards, including best visual effects, best production design and best cinematography. There is currently another literary franchise due to hit the big screen:
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| http://anime-artbooks.com/anime-artbooks/akira-animation-archives-artbook-otomo-katsuhiro/ |
Also a science-fiction masterpiece, the Japanese comic (manga), “Akira” created in 1988, by Katshuhiro Otomo is no different. The fiction masterpiece stretches over 2,000 pages, 6 volumes and has won almost every Japanese Manga award imaginable. Each volume has its share of blood and gore and is over 350 pages long.
To bring the live action comic to life, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are set to distribute the film. Along with Leonardo DiCaprio who is due to produce the film, and with Book of Eli’s Albert Hughes as director. The original story was set in post nuclear war, Tokyo, However the movie is expected to set in New Manhattan 2019. The story revolves around a neo-nuclear biker gangs that get caught up in a genetic experiment run, bringing on heat from the police state that controls their expansive city. The story is set around the (motorcycle), gang leader who is responsible for stopping the destruction that follows. The project entails politics, physic forces and futuristic weaponry. Recently, Albert Hughes has confirmed that Warner Bros. wants a PG-13 version of the project that will run as two features, although he may not return for the sequel. According to Slash Film reports, there are also talks of Oscar winning Morgan Freeman (Red, and Seven) earning the role of Colonel Shikishima and Zac Efron (of Charlie St. Cloud), also playing the role of Shotaro Kaneda (the gang leader). Although these acting roles have not been confirmed, there is much controversy and rumors being set around the project that is set go into production sometime around 2013.
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| http://anime-artbooks.com/anime-artbooks/akira-animation-archives-artbook-otomo-katsuhiro/ |
The project is centered around Member Kaneda whose latent powers are exposed after he is subjected to a government experiment - was set in post-nuclear War Tokyo in 2019 while the new movie is expected to be set in New York. As the Gang leader, Zac's character would be responsible for stopping the destruction which follows. This live-action adaptation of the popular Manga Akira for Warner Brothers already has a following of fans and critics who are tweeting and blogging about the anticipated production and release of the popular comic.
Hopefully the two-part adaptation will be as powerful as the comic was. If the adaptation touches the least bit on the literary storyline the project will definitely be far from a PG-13 rating however the action and suspense that viewers are used to seeing will of course be as close to the original storyline as possible. I'm sure that Warner Bros. will get their moneys worth with so many anticipating the following of such a high grossing series that although it was created in the 80s, continues to have a great deal of demand.
You can find more information on this topic at:
Fisher, Russ. (2010, Feb. 10). Re: The Hughes brothers negotiating deal to direct the live action Akira remake. Retrieved on Dec 06, 2010. from www.slashfilm.com At
http://www.slashfilm.com/the-hughes-brothers-negotiating-deal-to-direct-the-live-action-akira-remake/. or
Fisher, Russ. (2010, June 23). Re: New screenwriter hired for live action Akira remake. Retrieved on Dec. 06, 2010. from www.slashfilm.com at http://www.slashfilm.com/new-screenwriter-hired-for-live-action-akira-remake-albert-hughes-talks-pg-13/.
