Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter In Talks for “AKIRA”

Following Warner Bros. recent press release confirming Akira‘s February production date, a slew of casting rumors has found its way onto the internet.  In the most recent rumor, film insiders claim that Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter are in early talks to co-star in the Japanese adaptation.  Oldman was apparently offered the role of Colonel while Bonham-Carter is being considered for the role of Lady Miyako.

Even though all of this seems to be pure speculation, the prospect of these two high-caliber thespians joining Akira can only bode well for the film.  Fans will remember that it was only a few months ago when Warner Bros. was entertaining the notion of casting Keanu Reeves and Zac Efron for the film’s lead roles, so the addition of Oldman and Bonham-Carter to the rumor mill seems to indicate a good turn in direction for the project.

Here’s a brief description of the two characters provided by Wikipedia:

The Colonel: The current head of the ongoing government project which was responsible for inadvertently unleashing Akira’s power thirty years earlier. Appearing tough and ruthless, he is nevertheless pragmatic enough to recognize the danger Tetsuo’s fledgling powers pose and cares genuinely for the three Espers under his supervision. Amongst the other government figures depicted in the film, he is shown to be the most principled, eschewing the corruption and hedonism that typifies Neo-Tokyo, adhering instead to a strict code of soldierly honour.

Lady Miyako: A former test subject known as #19, she is the high priestess of a temple in Neo-Tokyo, and a major ally of Kaneda and Kei as the story progresses. She is also an initial ally of Nezu, and gives Tetsuo a lecture on his powers. She plays an instrumental role in the final battle with Tetsuo at the cost of her own life.

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