13 Upcoming Movies That Will Probably Get Cancelled

8. Akira

The Hype: A live-action adaptation of the legendary manga, which was of course so famously adapted into a classic 1988 animated film. As of late, Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi has been in talks to helm.

Why It Won't Happen: There have been various attempts to get Akira made over the last 15 years, with countless directors being "in talks" only for it to amount to nothing.

Simply, Akira is an extremely tricky project to adapt to the live-action medium, and with Hollywood being scrutinised more than ever for its tendency to whitewash, it doesn't seem likely that any studio would want the bother of a) casting race-appropriate actors and b) actually giving the movie the budget it needs.

Why It Still Could: The backlash is so fierce against whitewashing these days that it does feel like a turning point for Hollywood, and so the prospect of a big-budget film starring a lesser-known Japanese actor perhaps isn't quite as impossible as it seemed a few years ago. Still not likely, though.