Yes, we are most likely getting a PG-13 adaptation of Akira. My reaction and everyone else’s will be a bit similar to Albert Hughes’s response when asked about it possibly being rated-R.”You would think,” said the director, who (along with his brother) became attached to the project earlier this year. If you’ve read the series or seen the excellent 1988 anime then you know this isn’t material you’d associate with teens. It’s very hard-R. Warner Brothers, on-the-other-hand, apparently thinks it has to be PG-13. That’s not very surprising though considering how much money they’ll be sinking into it, but it’s still saddening none-the-less.
Albert Hughes talked about this on The Kevin McCarthy and Josh Hylton Movie Show on 106.7 HD2 (CBS RADIO – Washington D.C.) quite recently and discussed the idea behind a PG-13 Akira. “The first thing they said to me was it had to be PG-13,” Hughes said and then followed up with labeling it as either being “a challenge” or a “hind-ridge.” The best thing Hughes said he could do was make it feel like The Dark Knight. That’s something every filmmaker name drops nowadays and there’s some truth there that it did push the PG-13 pretty hard, but you could easily also argue it was a bit held back by being PG-13. That’s a whole different topic altogether, but again, it’s a comparison nearly every director makes now.
When asked about the unbelievable challenge of adapting Akira, Hughes himself admitted it would be tough, but likes the fact it’s going to be a challenge. There’s a lot of material there, but some of that may and has to be stripped down, “I want to simplify everything for the audience.” I doubt he means dumbing it down, but something like Akira doesn’t have the most mainstream appeal to it. It’s understandable that they’d want to elaborate on certain aspects or cut things out altogether.
As for it being a two parter, Hughes commented that he may not come back the second time around despite the opposite belief. “I’m not into sequels,” he explained. “I don’t even know if I wanna be around for the sequel. I’m just focusing on the first movie.” I’d hope if the first outing is successful then hopefully the Hughes Brothers would be return behind the camera, but for now, his words don’t seem to hopeful.
The idea of a PG-13 Akira is a bit questionable, but I have trust in the Hughes brothers. They’re solid filmmakers and definitely have the skills to craft a world as rich as Akira. Hopefully, that’s what we end up with.
Source: BDK Reviews
