Ken Watanabe Offered The Role Of "The Colonel" In Akira

Ken Watanabe Offered The Role Of "The Colonel" In Akira

It seems WB have decided not to wait for Gary Oldman to make up his mind and instead offered the villainous (kinda) role of Colonel Shikishima to the brilliant Batman Begins and Inception actor..

News
By MarkCassidy - Nov 22, 2011 05:11 PM EST
Filed Under: Akira
Source: Twitchfilm



Well it seems those hoping for a bit of Japanese flavor in Warner Bros' live action adaptation of the classic Manga may get their wish as it appears the Oscar nominated Ken Watanabe has been offered an important role in the movie.



Twitch report..

Twitch broke word late in October that Gary Oldman had been offered the part of The Colonel in the film and now, with the actor and Warner Brothers unable to close the deal, we have learned that the part is being offered to Ken Watanabe instead.


I must admit, Oldman would have been a great addition to the cast but his Batman Begins co-star is certainly a worthy replacement should he accept. Many fans have been hoping that some of the cast members would be of Asian origin to reflect the original Manga and Anime's Japanese roots and Watanabe is definitely the highest profile, and arguably the best, Japanese actor currently working in America.

So far the only cast member to be nailed down for sure is Garret Hedlund who will play Kaneda. It looks as if Kristen Stewart will play Ky (changed from the original's Kei) and several actors tested this week for the role of Tetsuo. Any updates as we have em.



By: TwitterButtons.com

By TwitterButtons.com


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PaulRom
PaulRom - 11/22/2011, 6:01 PM
Wouldve liked Oldman to play the Colonel, but Watanbe is a good choice.
RunDTC
RunDTC - 11/22/2011, 6:03 PM
Watanabe was fantastic in The Last Samurai
BooYah
BooYah - 11/22/2011, 6:10 PM
He looks more like the character then Oldman.
SCURVYDOG619
SCURVYDOG619 - 11/22/2011, 6:16 PM
What,Elijah Wood as Tetsuo? :facepalm: Why don't you just announce it'll be Zac Effron already so I can really avoid this bad idea...
TheLight
TheLight - 11/22/2011, 6:16 PM
Well it's a start. Don't get me wrong. I like Gary Oldman, but Ken Watanabe is a better choice in my opinion.
RaleighAntrobus
RaleighAntrobus - 11/22/2011, 6:23 PM
Spot on casting. But, still, I can't get down with this movie...
RaleighAntrobus
RaleighAntrobus - 11/22/2011, 6:39 PM
If they can find the balls to cast a Japanese Tetsuo (you know, how he should be) than I can maybe give this a shot.

No Kristen Stewart, though.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/22/2011, 6:41 PM
They should all be Japanese IF it was being made in Japan..which it isn't.
Ceejay
Ceejay - 11/22/2011, 6:44 PM
And you all laughed when I did my cast list with him in this role, who's laughing now?
TheMarmoset
TheMarmoset - 11/22/2011, 6:57 PM
And the rest of the world isn't all about special effects? Europeans watch the same crap as Americans.
headlopper
headlopper - 11/22/2011, 6:58 PM
Don't know bout' this anime,
but I DO know about this...



Best cartoon ever-!,IMHO
RyanLantern77
RyanLantern77 - 11/22/2011, 7:03 PM
Yay for asians in an asian movie
TheMarmoset
TheMarmoset - 11/22/2011, 7:08 PM
The movie doesn't need Asian to be good. It would be as absurd as saying 300 should have had Greek actors.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/22/2011, 7:12 PM
Wow...so the one asian cast is in a villainous role? Its Airbender all over again.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/22/2011, 7:13 PM
I mean you guys act as if this is the first time an American studio has remade a foreign movie. Is everyone all over Spike Lee to cast Asian or Asian american actors in his remake of Oldboy? Did people call Scorsese "disrespectful" when he remade Infernal Affairs? If you are against the movie being Americanized then that's one thing, but if you are on board with it AS LONG as they have an Asian cast then that really doesn't make any sense. Obviously retelling the story for an American audience and setting it in New Manhattan is going to require an American cast.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/22/2011, 7:18 PM
Man i hope this movie gets the same reception shit bender did.
sweetre15
sweetre15 - 11/22/2011, 7:22 PM
@Rormachine:

1. The thing is that Scorsese's film was named something entirely different so it was seen as a homage and NOT a direct adaptation

2. America is NOT an ethnicity so...Japanese Americans shouldn't be out of the question. hell mix it up a bit if you have to. American is not a synonym for Caucasian remember?
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/22/2011, 7:30 PM
Sweetre15, it can be "seen" as whatever people like, the fact is it was a direct remake in pretty much every way. In fact the only real difference is the very end in which Matt Damon's character is killed. And yes I understand that there could and should be a diverse cast, like any American movie. My problem is with people who want the entire cast to be Asian American..even though the movie is not set in Japan! That doesn't make sense.
selinakyle
selinakyle - 11/22/2011, 7:34 PM
They need to change all the names. Kaneda my ass!
Bandrews1
Bandrews1 - 11/22/2011, 7:48 PM
Yes Ken Watanabe is a great choice, I think he actually looks the part. @Ror I completely agree man, it wouldn't make since to cast Asian actors it the roles since its an Americanized remake that's set in America, but they do need to change the names because its gonna be dumb if they have american characters with the names Kaneda and Tetsuo.
sweetre15
sweetre15 - 11/22/2011, 7:57 PM
@Rormachine: but you do know that in this film...Manhattan is rebuilt by Japanese agents right? I actually read two of the scripts and that remained the same so...it wouldn't be far fetched sense the new Island will likely represent Japan aesthetically.
sweetre15
sweetre15 - 11/22/2011, 7:58 PM
I meant since lol stupid typo
RaleighAntrobus
RaleighAntrobus - 11/22/2011, 7:59 PM
What Zigggggy said.

Nothing about Akira is American. Just like nothing about Captain America is Japanese.

What happened with Infernal Affairs is totally different. They should definitely just leave this alone but people will make any kind of excuse to adapt anything for pure pleasure.
Kayo
Kayo - 11/22/2011, 8:37 PM
@headlopper: one piece is one of my fave anime sir.
Tevii
Tevii - 11/22/2011, 8:46 PM
This is a great casting choice. Hope he takes it.
Kayo
Kayo - 11/22/2011, 9:05 PM
Watanabe is the right choice for the role
novaprime
novaprime - 11/22/2011, 9:08 PM
thats cool he can play it now get a jap to play canada
and tets
RoscoeFolgers
RoscoeFolgers - 11/22/2011, 9:20 PM
Boohoohoo adaptation different wahhhh.
RoscoeFolgers
RoscoeFolgers - 11/22/2011, 9:23 PM
@Raleigh - Nothing about Captain America is Japanese, but the basic theme is loyalty to your country. If you were tasked with an adaptation, Zip zap you got a Captain Japan. All themes are flexible, especially Akira. Why do you think it caught on with the American so much better than any other anime/manga?
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