Fans of Akira, you should really just ignore every bit of information we get about the live action remake, because none of it is good. This latest one's a big kick in the nuts. A recent casting call that went out for extras and stand-ins reveals an overview of the basic plot summary and the movie's transplanted, new westernized setting: Live-Action Akira Film's Plot Listed by Casting Call.
Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.
Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding 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 in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.
Note how the characters have conspicuously retained their original Japanese names, despite the fact that they're all rumored to be played by white actors -- save for Ken Watanabe as The Colonel -- against an unmistakably American backdrop. Somebody, explain that. This is going to be one strange-ass movie.
At this point, I don't know why they'd bother calling it "Akira." If you're trying to market the movie on name recognition, the changes have thus far alienated all of the fans of the original manga and feature film who gave a damn. And anyone else who isn't familiar with the material isn't really going to care if it's called "Akira" or "Badass Motorcycle Gang" or "Occupy Neo-Manhattan" or whatever, as long as it looks cool and the trailers show a giant explosion.
Make it stop!