Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures has sent their Akira script, a live action adaptation of anime artist Katsuhiro Ôtomo's 6-volume graphic novel, to a short list of actors.

Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy are all being considered for the role of Tetsuo. The role of Kaneda is being shopped to Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix.

Steve Kloves has signed onto do a rewrite of the screenplay for director Albert Hughes. The story takes place in a rebuilt New Manhattan, where the leader of a biker gang saves his friend from a medical experiment. The goal is to make two films, each covering three books in the series.

Production is set to start in August.