Over the last two decades, anime fans worldwide have been on the fence about Warner Bros.’ idea of creating a live-action adaptation of the beloved film Akira. This movie has often been praised for being one of the most innovative, engaging, and memorable projects ever released, and the idea of a Hollywood adaptation was never the most appealing to fans of Katsuhiro Otomo’s work.

Nonetheless, while opinions were divided, several viewers awaited the film’s release excitedly before judging it, hoping it would surpᴀss their expectations. Lamentably, this might no longer be the case, as the company has relinquished the rights to the Akira movie. On the bright side, with the rights to the film left for grabs, a new team could work on creating an adaptation that a majority of the fandom will enjoy.

Warner Has Let Go of Akira’s Rights After Two Decades

A Live-Action Adaptation Is No Longer Being Produced

Considered by many fans to be one of the best anime movies ever released, Akira is a dystopic sci-fi adventure that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of viewers for decades. In 2002, Warner Bros. acquired the rights to produce and distribute a live-action adaptation of the amazing film.

While many fans expressed their excitement about their project, many others raised concerns about its possible mishandling. Over the years, live-action anime adaptations have garnered mostly negative fame, with only a handful being loyal to the source material. To the delight and disappointment of fans, the Akira movie has been woefully canceled.

Recently, it was revealed that Warner has returned the rights of the film to Kodansha, one of the biggest manga publishers and original owners of the Akira franchise. This decision shocked the world, as the live-action was recently reported as being currently produced without issues. As of June 2025, Akira’s film rights have been placed on the market once again.

Why Was the Project Canceled?

The Adaptation Faced Many Issues During Its Creation

Over the last few years, numerous news reports about the Akira live-action adaptation have been made public. These announcements were often released to let fans know about the many issues that the project was facing. The problems ranged from changes to the original story that did not sit well with audiences to directors abandoning the project before it was concluded.

It was not until 2017 that the future of the film began looking brighter when the famed director of world-famous films such as Jojo Rabbit and Thor: Love and Thunder, Taika Waiтιтi, joined the project. This version of the film looked promising, with great advances being made in a couple of months.

However, Waiтιтi found himself with less time to work on the project, making it harder for the film to progress. These issues were likely what caused Warner to relinquish the rights to the film, as their losses over the years had become unsustainable. This would mᴀssively disappoint many fans, who wanted to see what Waiтιтi’s vision for the film would have been.

Kodansha Is Currently Looking for a New Buyer

Akira’s Live-Action Could Still Become a Reality

Although the future of Akira’s live-action has become more uncertain than ever, there is still hope that the movie will be released in the future. After receiving the rights to the film back, Kodansha announced that they would be looking for a new buyer willing to work on the project. While there have not been offers made to acquire the rights, offers are likely to be made at the moment.

Akira is by far one of the best manga ever written, and its film adaptation has become legendary among anime fans. A well-produced and loyal live-action film has the opportunity to become one of the most successful projects of the last couple of decades. Even though the future of the film looks grim at the moment, fans should not lose hope in the movie being released in the coming years.