A new report provides a synopsis for the upcoming live-action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira, and it's definitely much different than fans of the original manga and anime might have expected.

The report comes from Production Weekly, which is typically a pretty reputable source for information. You can read the synopsis below:

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When a young man’s telekinesis is discovered by the military, he is taken in to be turned into a super weapon and his brother nuts [sic] race to save him before Manhattan is destroyed by his powers. Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother Tetsuo is abducted by Government agents lead by the Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City 30 years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous, but after facing his brother again is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy. Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind, Kaneda clashes with the Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira, but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island as he did thirty years ago.

Despite how reliable Production Weekly is, this should not be considered confirmed or in any way definite. The movie is still early in production, and it's entirely possible this synopsis will change or is a holdover from an older version of the movie and as such does not reflect the current script. Despite what a major departure from the source material this would be if true, director Taika Waititi has said he intends on keeping the ethnicity of all the characters accurate to the original. He's also said that he intends to adapt the manga rather than the anime.

Production on Akira has been long. Several writers and directors have been attached to the project, including such names as Stephen Norrington, Ruairi Robinson, Allen and Albert Hughes, George Miller, Christopher Nolan, Jaume Collet-Serra and Justin Lin. Even Jordan Peele was offered the project at one point.

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Directed by Taika Waititi, Akira is expected to start filming this year. There is no official release date, casting or any other details available for the film at this time.

(via Heroic Hollywood)