Last we heard from the live-action, English-language Akira remake, things weren't looking so great. The script was being re-written by Steve Kloves and Mila Kunis bailed to be in Oz: The Great and Powerful. Even worse, director Albert Hughes found himself headbutting with the head of Warner Bros., who apparently called Brad Pitt to try and get him cast in the film. Now it seems as though the tide might be turning.

Deadline, via an unnamed source, has posted a list of potential actors being considered for the two male leads in the film, Tetsuo and Kaneda. According to the site, Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy have all been looked at for the former (Kaneda's best friend turned enemy who, after an accident, is given incredible psychic powers and goes insane as a result) and Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix are being considered for the latter (the lead protagonist and head of a biker gang who is the only person who can hurt Tetsuo). The film will be set in Manhattan, rather than the original Tokyo and both Hughes and the studio are big fans of Kloves new script.

You may notice that the above list of names is basically every young white actor who is hot at the moment. On that same note, don't be too shocked when the characters' names are changed.