Twilight Star Kristen Stewart Offered the Female Lead in Akira
Twitch Film is reporting that the Snow White and the Huntsman star has been offered the role of Kei, in Warner Bros.' live-action adaptation of Akira.
Twitch was the first to bring word of Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter and Garrett Hedlund being offered parts in the Warner Brothers backed US adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's classic manga and now we have learned that Kristen Stewart has been offered the part of Kei, a young medium who becomes the love interest for Kaneda - the role already offered to Hedlund. - Twitch Film
Kristen Stewart needs to break free from being known as only Bella in the Twilight franchise and this could be the role that does it. She is currently filming her Snow White film with Thor, Chris Hemsworth, and has eluded to be open to turning that into a franchise as well.
Kei in Akira is Kaneda's love interest, and his part of an anti-government faction. Her character at times appears to have supernatural powers, but is really being manipulated by the Espers, fellow psychics that influence events throughout the story.
Synopsis - Set in New Manhattan, the cyberpunk sci-fi epic follows the leader of a biker gang who must save his friend, discovered with potentially destructive psychokinetic abilities, from government medical experiments.