At this point I’d be lying if I claimed I knew what to expect from the live-action version of Akira that Jaume Collet-Serra will direct early next year. The film is budgeted in the $90m range — not a lot to create a post-apocalypse future version of Manhattan in which motorcycle gangs do battle as a precursor to psychically-powered mayhem. We know that Garrett Hedlund is playing Kaneda, a biker gang leader whose brother, Tetsuo, is wounded and finds his own psychic power awakened, leading to madness.

We don’t know who will play Tetsuo, but a new list of actors testing for the role includes surprising names like Michael Pitt, Alden Ehrenreich and Paul Dano.

THR has the list, which includes:

D.J. Cotrona (Detroit 1-8-7, G.I.Joe 2: Retaliation)
Logan Marshal Green (Devil, Prometheus)
Toby Kebbell (RocknRolla, Control)
Richard Madden (Game of Thrones)
Rami Malek (The Pacific, Twilight: Breaking Dawn — Part 2)
Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire)
Paul Dano (Cowboys & Aliens, There Will Be Blood)
Alden Ehrenreich (Tetro)

There are good names on the list, but without being able to even vaguely pin down what WB really wants out of this movie I can’t begin to guess what they’re looking for. Granted, I can see actors like Paul Dano (who is testing for the role again) and Michael Pitt playing an Americanized, older version of the classic Tetsuo character. They’d be able to present the physicality and the burning resentment that is key to the versions of the character that we know.

THR only describes Tetsuo as “the young man whose latent powers will release the powerful being known as Akira” and “a younger man with telekinetic abilities who becomes a dangerous weapon.” That’s a description that could match previous conceptions of the character, but it also leaves out anything that would specifically point out what is different in this movie.

Judging by the casting of Hedlund as Kaneda and Kristen Stewart as Kei, not to mention the switch to Kaneda and Tetsuo being brothers, a lot will be changed, and not merely with respect to race. (Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter also have roles.) I remain fascinated by this movie, especially viewed within the context of the fan bubble that wants it to simply wither and die. WB doesn’t care about that contingent, vocal as it may be. I wish I could say that the movie just has to be good — and with Garrett Hedlund in one of the leads I have trouble anticipating that — but it just has to look a certain way for people to show up on opening weekend. That seems to be what they’re really trying to assemble here.

SOURCE

HBO announced the renewal of “Boardwalk Empire” for Season 3 on Wednesday (October 12). The Prohibition-era drama, which stars Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Chicago native Michael Shannon, has been picked up after airing only three episodes so far this season.

The series also received an early renewal last fall, when it was renewed for Season 2 after only one episode. “Boardwalk Empire” has already received numerous awards since its premiere, including Golden Globe wins for best drama series and best actor for Buscemi, plus eight Emmy awards.

“Following a triumphant first season, I was eager to see what Terry Winter, Martin Scorsese and the rest of their stellar team had in store, and they continue to surpass our highest expectations,” HBO Programming president Michael Lombardo said in a press release. “The response from the media and our viewers has been extremely gratifying.”

Though ratings for the Mark Wahlberg-produced drama series have declined since last season, they have remained stable for the last three weeks. Sunday’s episode drew 2.9 million viewers and a 1.2 in the 18-49 demo.

“Boardwalk Empire” joins HBO’s recently renewed series “True Blood,” “Treme” and “Game of Thrones,” which will return for Season 2 in April 2012. Hit comedy “Curb Your Enthusiasm” has yet to be picked up for another season.

The network’s upcoming shows include “Luck,” “Veep,” “Girls,” Ricky Gervais’ “Life’s Too Short” and Aaron Sorkin’s untitled news network drama.

Season 3 of “Boardwalk Empire” is expected to air in late 2012.

SOURCE