Last month it was reported that the feared live-action American remake of beloved Japanese manga and animated film Akira had been officially greenlighted, and that Tron: Legacy star Garrett Hedlund was one of Warner Brothers top choices to star in the movie.

Now it appears that Hedlund has landed the job. According to sources—first reported by Twitch, later confirmed by Variety—that Hedlund has been offered the role, and that the two parties are now in negotiations to work out the dirty details.

Despite being one of the more maligned remakes currently in production, you have to admit, the cast for the long-discussed remake of the beloved anime flick Akira maybe just got a whole lot interesting.

Twitch is reporting that the pair of Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham-Carter have been offered the roles of Colonel and Lady Miyako, respectively.  The film will be helmed by Jaume Collet-Sera, and is currently being set up with Garret Hedlund in the film’s lead role (or at least, as of the writing of this, he’s in discussion for the role of Kaneda), so it does appear as though this is definitely on its way.

Back in May fans of the hit Japanese manga and animated feature film Akira were filled with joy at the news that the rumored Keanu Reeves would not be starring in the planned American remake and that director Albert Hughes had left the project, leading many to think the movie would never happen.

That joy didn’t last long, however. It was announced just a couple of months later that Warner Brothers had chipped down the budget of the remake from over $100 million down to $90 million, and that they had hired Unknown and Orphan director Jaume Collet-Serra to replace Hughes. Now comes word that the studio has officially given the greenlight to a live–action American Akira remake, so this bad boy is happening for real.

Take a moment to grieve.

If you’ve been following the planned remake of animated Japanese cult classic, Akira, you know that Menace II Society and The Book of Eli director Albert Hughes was attached for quite some time. Hughes departed the project not too long ago, leaving the door open for someone new to step in and perhaps help highly skeptical fans to get a little excited for the not–so–popular decision to remake such a beloved title.

Warner Brothers has chosen the director to replace Hughes, but he’s not quite as known as one might have assumed he would be. The studio has hired Jaume Collett-Serra to direct the Akira remake, after showing off his knack for producing titles that make money while sticking to the planned budgets. Collett–Serra’s previous titles include the 2005 remake of House of Wax, the 2009 horror, Orphan, and the recent Liam Neeson thriller, Unknown.

Well then””today appears to be a day where directors who have been long attached to high–profile movies decide they’re done with all of the complications and it’s time to move on to new ventures.

Earlier today it was reported that The Fighter director David O. Russell had decided to step away from the adaptation of the hit video game, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which is good news to most fans’ ears. Now another movie project that faithful followers have been very much against””the live–action remake of the classic Japanese animated feature, Akira“”has also lost its director.