It seems the live-action Akira movie from WB is going to get made, one way or another. The studio's plans for a live-action adaptation of the beloved manga/anime goes all the way back to 2009 when Zac Effron was offered the lead role, alongside James Franco with Morgan Freeman set to play the Colonel.
The project has undergone many revisions in the last 8 years, including several director and cast changes and extened periords of inactivity. Most recently, Get Out director Jordan Peele was pursued to helm the project but he ultimately passed to pursue his own projects.
Now, the latest reports are that Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has been negotiating with WB to helm the project and talks have progressed to the point where a deal is immanent. There's currently conflicting reports regarding whether Waititi is slated to helm a WWII comedy titled Jojo Rabbit next or if Akira could slide in front.