Casting Call and Character Details for Taika Waititi's AKIRA Surfaces Under Title BOX 28
Warner Bros. is trying again to make a live-action Akira film, this time with director Taika Waititi, and it looks like it’s currently going under the name Box 28. Over on Backstage.com, there are nine cast listings for Box 28 that sound quite a bit like the roles for the highly acclaimed anime and manga.
The studio is looking for an actor of Asian ethnicity to fill each of the roles, so at least we can expect very little whitewashing. That’s good, right? I do find it interesting how speaking Japanese is noted as a plus for the supporting roles, but not the lead roles.
Jun (Lead): Male, 18-24
Male, to play Japanese, English speaking. Must be legal 18-20's to play 18: Sharp-eyed, sinewy, tough, handsome, cool. He is the leader of a street gang of teenagers & knows how to have a good time. JUN should not be too cool or too tough. He's a scrappy, ragtag kid who's not worried about anything. Your weird, natural authentic self is encouraged! LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
KOICHI (Lead): Male, 18-24
Male, to play Japanese, English speaking. Must be legal 18-20's to play 17: Constantly forced to punch up in order to survive. He's fearless to the point of recklessness. He is haunted by the loss of a loved one. LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
MISA (Lead): Female, 18-30
Female, to play Japanese, English speaking. Must be legal 18-30: Beautiful, intelligent, strong-willed. She is a member of an anti-government organization trying to save her city. LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
REINA (Supporting): Female, 18-24
Female, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus). Must be legal 18-20's to play 17: Gentle, kind, cute, compassionate. She is a member of a biker gang & cares deeply for Koichi. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
TAKAMATSU (Supporting): Male, 18-24
Male, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus). Must be legal 18-20's to play 18: Large, tough, loyal, short-fused. A member of Jun's gang & a close friend. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
YUKI (Supporting): Male, 18-24
Male, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus). Must be legal 18-20's to play 16: A small, clever, brainy technical wiz, he is the youngest member of Jun's street gang. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
GEN (Supporting): Male, 10-12
Male, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus), age 10: A small, mysterious boy on an urgent mission; he is humble, shy, compassionate & wise beyond his years. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
AIMI (Supporting): Female, 10-12
Female, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus), age 10: A mysterious girl on an urgent mission; she is kind, gentle, compassionate & wise beyond her years. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
SUMIO (Supporting): Male, 10-12
Male, to play Asian, English speaking (Japanese a plus), age 10: A larger, mysterious boy on an urgent mission; he is bold, brave compassionate and wise beyond his years. SUPPORTING LEAD.
Ethnicity: Asian
Here’s the synopsis:
“When a young man’s telekinesis is discovered by the military, he is taken in to be turned into a super weapon and his brother must race to save him before Manhattan is destroyed by his powers. Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother Tetsuo is abducted by Government agents lead by the Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City 30 years ago when it was destroyed.
Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous, but after facing his brother again is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy. Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind, Kaneda clashes with the Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira, but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island as he did thirty years ago.”
Akira is currently set to release on May 21, 2021.