Ken Watanabe Offered Role In Akira

Twitch reports that Gary Oldman has turned down the role of the Colonel in Akira. Oldman had also been offered the Merlin role in Arthur And Lancelot. The studio has now offered the part to another Christopher Nolan regular Ken Watanabe (Inception, Batman Begins, Last Samurai). Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stweart have been linked for the leads.

What's interesting about this move by Warner Bros. is that Ken is the first Japanese actor to ever be linked the to the project. Akira has been getting a lot of hate from fans that the casting has been mostly whitewashing. This hopefully could be the first step to casting more Japanese actors in the film.

WB Still Searching For Akira's Tetsuo, More Actors Linked

I swear that Akira has to be one of the messiest casting searches I've seen since Captain America. The studio seems to be scrambling to find their Tetsuo before Akira starts production early next year. We've heard names like James McAvoy, Andrew Garfield, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Robert Pattinson and Ezra Miller (We Need To Talk About Kevin) previously all linked for the role but nothing has come of it. Currently Garrett Hedlund (Tron Legacy) is in place for role of Kaneda. Other actors such as Gary Oldman, Kristen Stewart, Keira Knightley and Helena Bonham Carter have been mentioned being in the mix as well.

HeatVision has word another batch of actors will screentest for the part of Tetsuo. The new list includes Tobey Kebbell (Wrath of The Titans, RockNRolla), Michael Pitt (Dreamers, Boardwalk Empire), Richard Madden (Game of Thrones), Rami Malek (The Pacific), Logan Marshall-Green (Prometheus), D.J. Controna (G.I. Joe 2) along with retests from Paul Dano (Cowboys And Aliens, There Will Be Blood) and Alden Ehrenreich. Out of this bunch I feel that Kebbell and Pitt have the best chances too pull off Tetsuo properly. While names like Malek and Madden shouldn't be overlooked as both are becoming excellent actors.

Kristen Stewart Could Play Kei In Akira

Warner Bros. has been having a really tough time nailing down it's male leads for their adaptation of Akira. Not much can be said for the few female roles as there haven't been too many names being mentioned. Now Twitch reports that Kristen Stewart is now in the mix for the role of female protagonist Kei. I'm still on the fence about Stewart in general with her terrible performances in Twilight but Huntsman could change my opinion.

A rumored offer has gone out to Helena Bonham Carter (Dark Shadows, Deathly Hollows, Fight Club) for the role of Lady and Keira Knightley (Pirates 1-3) had been linked for an unknown role. Garrett Hedlund (Tron Legacy, Troy) is up for the hero role of Kandea and Gary Oldman (Dark Kight) has been offered the role of the Colonel. While Ezra Miller (We Need To Talk About Kevin) and Alden Eherenreich are up for Tetsuo.

Ezra Miller & Alden Eherenreich Up For Tetsuo In Akira

HollywoodReporter says that Warner Bros. has two actors in mind to play Tetsuo in Akira. Previously there had been names mentioned like James McAvoy, Andrew Garfield, Robert Pattinson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Yet, two new actors are testing for the role they are Ezra Miller and Alden Eherenreich. Both are relatively unknown but are gathering quite an amount of cinema geek-cred. Miller is currently getting rave reviews for his performance in the thriller We Need To Talk About Kevin. Alden is best known for working with Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather) in films like Tetro and Twixt. He was also in the running to play the new Peter Park in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man.

I think Ezra Miller might be the best of the two choices since his brooding Kevin is very similar to the latter stages of Tetsuo's descent into power-driven madness. Other names that have been circling the project include Garrett Hedlund, Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter and Keira Knightley.

Four Possible Actors In The Running For Akira's Tetsuo

Now that Garrett Hedlund is likely taking the role of Kaneda in Akira there is the possibility we already know who might be up for the second lead of Tetsuo. Hedlund was apart of casting group for his part and there was a second smaller group testing for Tetsuo. That group included James McAvoy (Wanted, X-Men First Class), Andrew Garfield (Amazing Spider-Man, Social Network) and Robert Pattinson. Joseph Gordon-Levitt had been linked for the role when it was originally reported Warner Bros. was going to develop the project.

I wouldn't count Joseph out of the race until an actual name is attached. He's been quietly gathering steam at the studio starring in Christopher Nolan's Inception and The Dark Knight Rises. Not to mention working with DiCaprio (who is a producer) on two films including Quentin Tarantino's upcoming Django Unchained. James McAvoy might be a good fit but he has sequels on the horizon that include Wanted 2 and a X-Men First Class sequel. Andrew Garfield might have a little more leeway than James as he only has Amazing Spider-Man 2 coming up which might go into production until the first film's box office numbers come back. It's expected that Akira will be starting production soon. While I don't entirely count out Robert Pattinson he is going to turn off the male audiences who attribute him to the quality bankrupt Twilight franchise. Not a good idea since there is already enough hate on this project without terrible casting choices.

Keira Knightley Also Linked For Akira

HeatVision is confirming previous reports that both Gary Oldman (The Colonel) and Garrett Hedlund (Kaneda) are wanted by Warner Bros. for Akira. Twitch and HeatVision both report Helena Bonham Carter is involved, she's been rumored for Lady Miyako. There are still a bunch of large parts still up for grabs and a fourth actor is now in the mix.

Someone new mentioned is Keira Knightley who is likely in mind for the role of Kei. A revolutionary who ends up helping Kaneda when his friend and fellow biker gang member Tetsuo is mixed up with military medical experiments. Knightley is best known internationally for her role as Elizabeth Swan in the original Pirates of The Caribbean trilogy. She's been itching for a new blockbuster as she's been testing for films like The Dark Knight Rises and Captain America The First Avenger recently. Keira previously played a rough and fast-talking bounty hunter in Tony Scott's Domino, so she might fit well in this role.