Over a year ago, we told you about Allen Hughes and Albert Hughes (Book of Eli) being tapped by Warner Bros. to direct a live-action Akira movie. The film is based on the graphic novel by Katsuhiro Otomo. Iron Man screenwriters Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus penned the original script with Eli scribe Gary Whitta. Andrew Lazer is set to produce alongside Appian Way Productions’ Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson.

Now, Deadline reports that the Brothers Warner have sent the script for the film out to a short list of actors. Robert Pattinson, Andrew Garfield and James McAvoy are all reportedly being considered for the role of Tetsuo, and Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix are all reportedly being considered for the role of Kaneda.

Steve Kloves has signed onto do a rewrite of the Hawk Ostby, Mark Fergus and Gary Whitta penned script. The story takes place in a rebuilt New Manhattan, where the leader of a biker gang saves his friend from a medical experiment. The goal is to make two films, each covering three books in the series.

Otomo’s novel was first adapted as an animated feature, also titled Akira, in 1988. The film earned $84m at the US box office in less than a month.

Production is set to start in August, and Akira is slated to hit theaters in 2012.