10 Awesome Sci-Fi Films That Need To Escape Development Hell
9. Battle Angel Alita
Few fans of manga and anime will be unfamiliar with Battle Angel Alita, Yukito Kishiro's post-apocalyptic adventure in which variously enhanced cyborgs square off against one another in deadly arenas. Featuring some of the most impressive character designs to have emerged from Japanese science fiction, the story revolves around Alita, the eponymous cyborg without any memories who is taken care of by a cybernetics doctor after he discovers her on a scrap heap. Despite its distinctly gritty, cyberpunk visual style, Battle Angel Alita has a surprisingly tender story at its core about the nature of identity in the context of amnesia, which builds towards something approaching poetic tragedy. But it is the action which makes it a fantastic prospect for a big budget live action production, and there's little doubt that this is one aspect which led James Cameron to acquiring the rights for the Hollywood adaptation. With the kind of funds Cameron has at his disposal, Battle Angel Alita could easily surpass Avatar in terms of awe and spectacle. Unfortunately, despite boasting a better story and visual style than Cameron's latest movie, he's committed himself to making more Avatar before moving on to any new projects. Alas, Alita is now a low priority, unlikely to hit the screens before at least 2017 - but at least that gives the fans plenty of time to speculate who they'd like to see in the title role. Any suggestions?
