Anime fans are in luck.  Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, will be the next graphic novel to get a live-action treatment.

Warner Bros. has plans to turn the classic manga - which had been released in six volumes - into two films.  The first of which is scheduled to be released in 2009.  Leonardo DiCaprio will serve as one of the series’ producers.

Although the original storyline was based in a post-nuclear “New Tokyo”, this updated version will be set in “New Manhattan”.  The city was rebuilt with Japanese money after being destroyed decades earlier.

Otomo, the man who also directed the 1988 animated adaptation, will be on board as executive producer for the two installments.

Casting has not been announced for the projects.