According to news sent along by Angry Zen Minion Vortigar and AZM Ally Kensei Dave, Gary Oldman has declined to star as the Colonel in the live action version of Akira, or Steve as it is properly known around these parts. Ken Watanabe has now been approached by Warner Bros to star in the role. Man, I was just joking on twitter that if they cast him, I'd see the shit in a heart beat. Way to call my bullshit, Warner Bros.

Does this save the movie?

In the manga and original movie, there are three story lines that kind of blend into each other. One stars Kaneda as he gets swept up in a revolution while trying to connect with Kei. One stars Tetsuo as he deals with his new found powers going from snot nosed sidekick to a godlike figure. The third stars the Colonel as he navigates the political quagmire of a deadlocked government run by, in his estimation, fools. Three major plots, three main characters, each get equal screen time.

If this is the version of the Colonel that we will get, well shit, that's someone that I'd like to see Ken Watanabe play. Yeah, I still think it's a bit of tokenism and stunt casting and what not, but man, it would be so amazing to see Ken Watanabe as the Colonel we know and love from the manga and anime.

Unfortunately, I don't think there's room for this Colonel in the movie that's being made. From the version of the script that has been floating out there, the Colonel is a one-note bad guy. If that's the way he will be portrayed, I really have no interest in seeing that no matter who lands the role.

Of course all of this, from the Kristen Stewart to the Garrett Hedlund casting news, is all just preliminary rumblings. No one has been officially cast which is kind of curious at this point. So who knows. Maybe a miracle will happen and everyone will back out and this thing will die on the vine.

Source: Twitch Film