A live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga and anime, Akira, has been in the works at Warner Bros. for quite some time; the studio grabbed the adaptation rights back in 2002, but the project has gone through numerous fits and starts since then. Though plans to adapt the property as one or two films have fallen through, a new report suggests a trilogy may be in the works. And with Christopher Nolan rumored to be involved with the project, perhaps now Akira has a chance of getting off the ground.

Den of Geek reports that Warner Bros. is still planning on moving forward with their Akira adaptation, and will now build it out as a trilogy. Yes, Nolan was reported as directing a new film for Warner Bros. with a planned release date of July 21, 2017, but Den of Geek is quick to point out that he won't be sitting in the director's chair for Akira. Instead, it seems Nolan has met with an unnamed director within the past few months to talk about the project.

First of all, if Nolan is involved with Akira at all, it'll likely be as a producer. He's only been producing features - ones that weren't his own, at least - since 2013's Man of Steel, and holds Executive Producer credits on both Wally Pfister's Transcendence and Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Perhaps WB is interested in getting Nolan's noteworthiness attached to a larger slate of their upcoming films, folding him in as a veteran filmmaker with plenty of Hollywood cachet. So what does that mean for Akira?

Well if Warner Bros. is planning on bringing a younger filmmaker on board the project, just as Universal did with Jurassic World's Colin Trevorrow, it would be ideal to have a veteran of Nolan's status there to shepherd him or her. Jaume Collet-Serra was previously attached as the adaptation's director, but this new rumor claims that he's no longer involved. Previously attached directors, who are rumored to have met with Nolan, include The Book of Eli helmers Albert and Allen Hughes, unless Steve Kloves is going to transition from screenwriting to directing.