Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio is set to both act in and produce a live-action, two-part remake of anime classic Akira. The first of which is set to hit screens next summer, expect it to be a blockbuster. The 1988 original was set in a post-apocalypse New Tokyo and featured some of the coolest motorcycles ever imagined, they still influence bike design to this day.
The films will return to Katsuhiro Otomo's original manga for inspiration, each one will be based on three of the six original series. Otomo is on board as Executive Producer, which gives us some hope that these films will turn out OK.
We're excited about the films, if just for the opportunity to see live-action reworkings of the original motorcycles and chase scenes. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that they don't go all unbelievable Matrix-style on us. [Via Hell For Leather]