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Taika Waititi clarifies where he would take the Akira movie in THR interview
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i kind of don't see a massive difference here. both were extremely slavish remakes, both to their detriment. psycho more so, of course, but that was the whole point of that remake.
the way snyder's watchmen practically used the comic pages for storyboards certainly falls under what waititi is calling out here as a bad idea, unless he plans to do the same thing with the later books.
Umm, almost all of it? If you've read the manga, it's tied deeply to the post-war Japanese experience - politically and economically. Akira is extraordinarily Japanese. Other cultures can enjoy it and be enriched by it, but it is most definitely about Japan directly and singularly.
An awful lot of anime and manga could easily be transplanted to a different country ... This isn't one of them.
Hence maybe why they're courting him. He seems to realize already that straight cold humorless cyberpunk isn't hitting with audiences lately.
Why not? You only need to set a precedent once. It doesn't matter when you do it.
Bad analogy, but people said the same thing to MLK. Gradualism is bullshit.
Things would never ever change if people didn't fight for things that everyone else repeats over and over again will "never" happen. It's only ever true because people like you keep repeating it and believing it.
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A lot of people don't understand nuance in this thread. It's either a comedy or its not apparently. If a guy makes funny movies, that must mean this new movie based on a decades-old foreign apocalyptic cyperpunk comic is going to be a laugh riot. I'd rather have a smart director on this known for their comedy than a dumb one known for their serious movies TBH
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I guess Waititi is mostly known for his sense of humour, but I find his handling of drama just as good. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a very funny movie, but it's also genuine and the drama works on just about every level. He's a fantastic storyteller.
I have a hunch he could do body horror right too. Not really based on anything, but I think there's a little creative macabre in him waiting for a good opportunity. This would be it.
I have a hunch he could do body horror right too. Not really based on anything, but I think there's a little creative macabre in him waiting for a good opportunity. This would be it.
You're trying to tell me that people don't want to watch some grim, self-important bullshit?
Why, I never.
Hmm not sure that sounds good TBH. I'm fine with Akira material we have really.
Bringing humour to fundamentally preposterous material is one thing - and a little levity can fit almost anywhere - but Akira i'd argue thematically does need to be mostly played straight.
If they're worried about revenue and current trends not being right for a long, mostly serious SF film then honestly either don't make it or take the risk and make it good (Blade Runner 2049) and get the acclaim at least.
That said I'm not super keen on a live action Akira anyway. I feel it suits animation better stylistically.
Bringing humour to fundamentally preposterous material is one thing - and a little levity can fit almost anywhere - but Akira i'd argue thematically does need to be mostly played straight.
If they're worried about revenue and current trends not being right for a long, mostly serious SF film then honestly either don't make it or take the risk and make it good (Blade Runner 2049) and get the acclaim at least.
That said I'm not super keen on a live action Akira anyway. I feel it suits animation better stylistically.
I don't know if we watched the same film. The whole thing is a comedy.
I've always wanted to see the second half of the manga adapted but don't do it Taika, it's a trap. Making an Akira film in Hollywood is a fool's errand.
A prestige mini-series for HBO / Netflix / Amazon could work, despite the budgetary constraints.
A prestige mini-series for HBO / Netflix / Amazon could work, despite the budgetary constraints.
It was lighthearted with comedy bits here and there but i certainly wouldn't call it a comedy in the sense what we do in the shadows was.
For the record , im not even a fan of him turning thor into a comedy even if he salvages something good out of trash.
it just doesnt set a good precedent.
BR2049 is a top 3 film of 2017 for me so far. But it is neither grim nor self-important.
It has several moments of levity sprinkled throughout, whether it's the sombre, bittersweet moments with Joi or the sardonic, dry exchanges with Deckard. It also treats its characters and themes with the appropriate respect. It is a serious film but it is serious because it actually does the legwork with its writing instead of using tone to hit the viewer over their head with the subtlety of a Linkin Park video. Logan is also a very serious film but some of the most effective scenes in it are the "funny" ones.
I mean I know that there's this weird belief that tone somehow dictates how sincere or genuine a film is but Taika has shown over and over again that he can put some incredibly honest emotional moments within a very humorous context.
Huh? Even with the joi stuff BR still was very much a grim blockbuster. It's got such an oppressive tone and slow build to it as well as some of the themes in the film itself
People tend to throw around terms like "style over substance" and "self important" as solely being criticisms when in fact it also applies to some great films and isn't necessarily a bad thing
People tend to throw around terms like "style over substance" and "self important" as solely being criticisms when in fact it also applies to some great films and isn't necessarily a bad thing
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So are we looking forward to 5 films or are they somehow going to condense all the story in a single film?
I would think two films. One pre-awakening and one post.
Plus I believe there are only 6 volumes total and the divide happens right in the middle, I don't know which 5 books he's talking about. Maybe the english language version is different.
BR2049 uses a very grim backdrop to push inherently positive themes about hope and love. It does so very subtly and subdued, using those small moments of levity to great effect. Again, yes, BR2049 is a serious film but its tone and its text are never incongruent to each other. It doesn't use tone to mask a dumb story like, for example BvS does.
Batman is a comicbook property, of course it would make money.
I think it's a shame they'd have to plaster superheroes on that type of a project to spark interest in a genre to begin with.
Knowing Waititi's grasp on dramatic emotion in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, I don't really see him making Akira full blown comedy and agree that it shouldn't just be a live action version of Otomo's movie.
Shame, maybe, but if it gets people's interest rekindled, then...you know, it's for the greater good. For example, folks in general are a lot more open now for some old-school sci-fi thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy.
But in all seriousness...just admit it. A Batman Beyond movie done right would be majorly badass.
I like what he says but the manga wasn't exactly a bastion of comedy either. But yes, it's best to adapt the manga rather than the anime which already adapted the manga.
Hmmm... wonder what other recent movie should have took that advice...
Hmmm... wonder what other recent movie should have took that advice...
I'd love to see a big movie with some unknowns. I get that we enjoy certain actors for whatever reasons, but some stories need fresh faces, man.
Warner Brothers is probably still hesitant due to Ghost In The Shell and Blade Runner 2049. An adaptation needs a big budget but if they greenlight it with Taika Watiti and Asian American unknown leads, I'd imagine they reign in the budget some in order to minimize the risk and increase it's chances at profitability.
However Warner Brothers could be waiting on the performance of their film Crazy Rich Asians next August before greenlighting it.
However Warner Brothers could be waiting on the performance of their film Crazy Rich Asians next August before greenlighting it.
And also, this is how you GET Asian-American movie stars. Plenty of WHITE unknowns become famous because they're given a chance in big or popular movies.
it could also help get some Western Asian properties off the ground and adapted if they can have some Asian American stars to lead it.
Seven books? What? No.
Also, Akira is a very action-oriented story. The first three volumes is a bunch of different set pieces over and over. His directorial abilities to tackle that are extremely lackluster.
Also, Akira is a very action-oriented story. The first three volumes is a bunch of different set pieces over and over. His directorial abilities to tackle that are extremely lackluster.
I like the guy but he's got a certain view of entertainment that isn't suited for everything, humor has its place in Akira but it isn't and shouldn't be a comedy. Cyberpunk can have humorous elements in it but it's a dramatic genre dealing with people living in a harsh 'high tech-low life' world and I don't think that Waititi's room talk buddy style suits this property, especially knowing it has some heavy political commentary in it.
Also, this.
You can say all the right things but that doean't make them a reality. If a studio gives you $100 million+ to make a movie for them then you are making their movie, not yours. Only a few directors have the pull to maximize the studio/director relationship and unfortunately for Mr. Waititi he isn't one of them.
That was Oldboy
Yeah, I thought the acton scenes in What We Do In the Shadows were just serviceable.
Because I hope you're not solely judging by the Thor movie that just came out, that would weaken your stance considerably
Dude, the people in this thread who went and saw Thor and now think they have Waititi pegged as a director forever are making my eyes roll all the way back down the mountain
wouldn't it make sense to judge the mans action filmmaking....based on the only action movie he's made at this point? lol this thread man...