Tags:Anime, film, japan, speed racer
Was anybody really concerned about the possibility that the anime industry would tank if the Speed Racer film performed poorly? I’d say anime has a number of problems, none of which have to do with a poorly received live-action film adaptation.
That said, there are a number of anime-related films in the pipeline at studios across Hollywood, and one wonders if anyone is getting cold feet at the prospect of launching a film that could scare up the kind of bad juju that deep-sixed the Wachowski’s effort.
From the New York Post: Future of Anime Remains Bright Despite ‘Speed Racer’ Failure
Fans are excited about the grown-up, live-action anime-inspired adaptations in various stages of development. These projects will likely feature the sort of hyper-stylized look and kinetic hyperactivity that are the hallmarks of great anime, and the projects are being championed by some of Hollywood’s greatest talent.
Ironically, Warner Bros is the studio behind two of the most-anticipated anime-style projects, but will they be gun shy after the Speed Racer experience? Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio is working on an ambitious live-action version of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira that will move the action from ‘Neo-Tokyo’ to ‘Neo-Manhattan.’ The plan is for two films with Ireland’s Ruairi Robinson set to make his directing debut. This is dystopian science fiction, which will likely have more of a Matrix trilogy look, and it is tentatively set for next summer. Akira has all the makings of a blockbuster franchise.
I just checked the Rotten Tomato Meter and noticed that Speed Racer, the Wachowski’s adaptation of the classic anime, is running below 40%. Now - honestly- I really don’t give much credence to film criticism. Some of my favorite films (Underworld) were lambasted by critics and just as often I find myself loathing flicks that received great critical acclaim (Crash).
