In a year that has already seen Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle become the highest-grossing anime movie in global box office history, fans are showing an appetite to devour all the classics that the genre has to offer. The landmark 1988 movie Akira saw major success on the domestic iTunes charts, while the equally influential show Cowboy Bebop witnessed a similar surge in viewership on the television leader board. Akira has only grown in prominence in the decades since its release, while a live-action remake remains stuck in development hell. Most recently, Taika Waititi was attached to helm the project, which was shut down following a period of inaction, ending with Warner Bros. reportedly having to surrender the rights.

According to FlixPatrol, Akira was among the 10 most-watched movies on the domestic iTunes charts earlier this week, when the leader board was topped by Paul Thomas Anderson‘s One Battle After Another. The epic screwball comedy action film also passed the $200 million milestone at the global box office on the eve of its PVOD debut. By comparison, Akira made around $50 million globally after being released back in 1988. The theatrical appetite for anime has grown exponentially since then, thanks to Hayao Miyazaki‘s movies and the global success of anime content on streaming. Demon Slayer shattered all records as it grossed nearly $700 million worldwide earlier this year.

The ‘Akira’ Live-Action Remake Remains in Development Hell

Akira beat out the likes of F1 and Jurassic World Rebirth on iTunes, a remarkable achievement considering how popular those Hollywood titles were earlier this year. While F1 grossed over $630 million globally, Rebirth made nearly $900 million worldwide. Over the years, Hollywood has made several live-action remakes of anime hits, with Ghost in the Shell and Cowboy Bebop being a couple of the most recognizable titles. The live-action Akira movie has seen various iterations, with directors such as Stephen Norrington, the Hughes brothers, and Jaume Collet-Serra having been attached at different stages. Waititi signed on in 2017, but left after no progress was made on the script. You can, however, watch the original classic at home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date

July 16, 1988

Runtime

124 Minutes

Director

Katsuhiro Otomo

Writers

Katsuhiro Otomo, Izô Hashimoto

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