A few weeks ago, we reported that Warner Bros. may be trying to turn Jaume Collett-Serra's Akira remake into a cure for insomnia by making TRON: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund the frontrunner for the lead role.  Now it looks like he'll have it because according to Variety [and first reported by Twitch] Hedlund is in talks with WB to play Kaneda.  Warner Bros. couldn't make an offer to Hedlund until the budget was in place and I'm assuming the offer was, "You starred in TRON: Legacy and you're getting a second chance at a major sci-fi blockbuster.  You're welcome."  If you think I'm being overly harsh on Hedlund, please direct me to the movie where he gave a magnetic and captivating performance.But maybe he hasn't been given the chance.  Maybe films like Georgia Rule and Country Strong haven't provided Hedlund with the chance to shine.  However, he's playing Dean Moriarty in the adaptation of On the Road, and that's a damn fine character so we'll see how he does.  If you're unfamiliar with Akira, hit the jump for a synopsis of the original manga.Here's a synopsis for the manga Akira (it's worth noting that the movie will change the setting from neo-Toyko to neo-Manhattan):

Akira is set in the post-apocalypse Neo-Tokyo of 2019, a vast metropolis built on the ashes of a Tokyo annihilated by an apocalyptic blast of unknown power that triggered World War III. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when dormant paranormal abilities begin to waken in Tetsuo, who becomes a target for a shadowy government operation, a group who will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like that which leveled Tokyo. And at the core of their motivation is a raw, all-consuming fear: a fear of someone — or something — of unthinkably monstrous power known only as… Akira. And Akira is about to rise! [Amazon]

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