'Akira' lower, not out, at WB

Warner Bros.' live-action "Akira" remake has hit another speedbump on its lengthy route to getting production began. Studio verifies it's shut lower pre-production in the Vancouver offices because the film's creative team reworks the script hoping to create the $90 million budget lower to some number more appropriate for WB executives. Although the sci-fi epic has been through a number of rewrites, including costly re-dos from Steve Kloves and David James Kelly, associates say a brand new author will most likely be triggered to utilize helmer Jaume Collet-Sera and producers Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Andrew Lazar within the next two days. Sources include that this by no means means the project is dead -- the studio is extremely bullish on setting it up together. Just before the announcement that production could be stopped, studio prexy Shaun Robinov had met using the "Akira" team to go over a number of things, including who'd land the 2nd lead opposite Garrett Hedlund. Options have been whittled lower to Michael Pitt and "Chronicle" star Dane DeHaan, however the studio wanted to hang about until following the holidays to determine now it appears like this decision is going to be postponed further. It has been a lengthy string of stops and begins for any live-action "Akira," that has been in development in the studio because it acquired the privileges towards the Japanese manga classic in 2008. Albert Hughes came onto direct this past year, simply to drop from the project within the summer time. Collet-Sera ended up being introduced in, but needed to use the producers to slice your budget lower to $90 million before it took its greenlight. Since individuals cuts were made, the studio have been focusing on placing a cast along with Hedlund landing charge and Billy Burke, Helena Bonham Carter and Ken Watanabe exercising deals. Occur New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the best choice of the biker gang who must save uncle, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic capabilities, from government medical experiments. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com