After such a long time in development, it still seems like "Akira" is having a difficult time getting off the ground. Things looked up once Garrett Hedlund had signed on. Both Helena Bonham Carter and Gary Oldman were approached for the roles of Lady Miyako and the Colonel, respectively.
Oldman eventually passed on the role, which looks to be going to Ken Watanabe instead, and when Bonham Carter spoke with MTV News at the Britannia Awards, she said she wasn't sure whether the sci-fi film was in her future either.
"I haven't really decided yet," said Bonham Carter, who confirmed she had in fact read the script already. "I don't know yet what I'm going to do next. I'm not really going to talk about it until I've decided whether to do it or not."
A description of the plot leaked earlier this week, and it follows below. Spoilers ahead.
Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.
Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.
Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.
Would you like to see Helena Bonham Carter join "Akira"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!