But to replace Oldman in the film, Warner Bros. is – get this – in talks with someone of actual Japanese descent. Ken Watanabe, Oldman’s co-star in BATMAN BEGINS, is in talks to fill in for Oldman in the film.
I’m conflicted as to how I should take this news. On the one hand, Watanabe is actually a much better Colonel. The dude is a big, strong dude and Oldman is a lot of things, but big and strong aren’t his forte. Watanabe looks and feels much more like the original Colonel and that’s a good thing. But Gary Oldman is just the latest of many actors to publicly pass on AKIRA.
Even up-and-comer Ezra Miller, the first piece of rumored casting that had me legitimately excited, passed on the film and later said, “That, I can assure you, will not be a reality.”
Llsten, I want AKIRA to succeed. I want this to be a good film. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see how badly its been handled. I have to think that if the script was any good, some of the actors would stick.