Keanu Reeves Passes on Akira

Steve Barton   |  

May 18, 2011

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Know that famous scene in The Matrix in which Keanu Reeves as Neo bends backwards while bullets fly by him in slow motion? That’s kind of how we feel about him passing on a role in the big screen adaptation of Akira. Talk about dodging a bullet!

According to JoBlo Reeves has officially joined Brad Pitt, James Franco and Ryan Gosling as actors who’ve passed on starring in Akira. As a result of his passing Warner Brothers shut down the pre-viz department and let go most of the staff working on the film shortly afterward.

When asked to comment on the production shake-up, Warner Bros. released the following statement: “Production on ‘Akira’ has not halted or been shut down, as the film has not yet been greenlit and is still very much in the development stage. The exploratory process is crucial to a project of this magnitude, and we will continue to sculpt our approach to making the best possible film.”

Where do we go from here? Who knows. We’ll keep an eye on things for you.

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