Keanu Walks Away From ‘Akira’, Possibly To Eat A Sandwich Alone On A Bench

 

Keanu Reeves has decided that he doesn’t need Akira in his life, having passed on the project. While he seemed like an inspired choice to play the gang leader Kaneda, he was two decades older than some of the other candidates. That said, the decision to leave was Reeves’, so producers must have been willing to overlook the age discrepancy for his box-office draw and blockbuster movie experience.

Expect the casting rumors to circulate quickly for this project, as it has the attention of not only the US, but the world on the venerable property. Two months ago, the shortlist consisted of Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield, and James McAvoy, so their names are likely to pop back up in the discussion.

Warner Bros. has insisted that Keanu’s decision hasn’t sidetracked production, as it’s in development and has yet to be greenlit. So don’t worry about this event offsetting progress on the film – they haven’t made any yet. Way to cover your ass, WB. (Coming Soon)