Justin Timberlake and Robert Pattinson Up for Akira?

We’ve had a couple of false starts with the Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures live-action adaptation of Manga graphic novel Akira. James Franco came and went, deciding that Oz was a much better place to hang out. Mila Kunis was also being considered for a part in the film but she decided to follow in Franco’s footsteps. Now, Deadline brings word that Steve Kloves’ script has been sent to a short list of actors being considered for the roles of the two main characters.

The big screen version of Akira takes place in the future of New Manhattan, where Kaneda, a leader of a biker gang, saves his friend, Tetsuo, from a medical experiment… but not before the friend gains physic powers from the testing.

Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy are being considered for the role of Tetsuo, and the part of Kaneda could go to Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake, or Joaquin Phoenix.

Akira is being produced by Andrew Lazar, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, and Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio, and is scheduled for an August start.