Taika Waititi isn’t confident that he will be the director of the live-action Akira movie.
Waititi spoke to Variety the day after he won his Oscar for writing Jojo Rabbit. He echoed previous remarks that he made to IGN in October about Akira being pushed back a full two years because of Thor. At that point, he was still certain he was the director of the Akira remake, but now that seems to have changed.
“So I’m not sure if even in two years I’d be — I don’t know what I’m doing in f***ing two days,” Waititi said to Variety. When asked if that means the film won’t happen, he replied, “I think eventually it will happen. I’m just not sure if I’ll be doing it.”
Watch IGN’s interview with Waititi from October.
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The filmmaker has a stacked slate ahead of him. He said he’s currently taking his time editing the Michael Fassbender comedy Next Goal Wins, but still hopes to release it by the end of 2020. After that, he’ll direct Thor: Love and Thunder, which is set for release on November 5, 2021. It was reported by Variety that screenwriter Jennifer Kaytin Robinson has been brought on to help with the Thor script before production begins in August. And somewhere during all of this, Waititi will play a role in The Suicide Squad. That film’s director, James Gunn, said on Twitter in early February that filming will be completed in less than a month.
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Thor: Love and Thunder will reportedly feature Christian Bale in a role and Waititi claims it will be “bigger, bolder and brighter” than Thor: Ragnarok. And for other live-action anime adaptations, check out our full list of every one in production.
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Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who highly recommends the What We Do in the Shadows TV series that Waititi directs. First season is on Hulu, second season airs on FX in April. But watch the movie first it’s free on Hoopla or Kanopy using your library card or school email. You have no excuse. Also, watch Flight of the Conchords. You know what, just watch everything.
Source: IGN.com Taika Waititi May Not Direct Akira Movie After All