Just last week, we brought you the news when Warner Bros. Pictures finally greenlit the live-action adaptation of Akira, the graphic novel by Katsuhiro Otomo. In addition to that bit of forward progress, Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) was reported as being considered the front-runner for one of the two lead roles in the Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown) directed adaptation.

Now, TwitchFilm reports that Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises) and Helena Bonham Carter (Dark Shadows) are being offered the roles of Colonel Shikishima aka The Colonel and Lady Miyako respectively.

Back in March, Steve Kloves signed onto do a rewrite of the Hawk Ostby, Mark Fergus and Gary Whittapenned script. The story takes place in a rebuilt New Manhattan, where the leader of a biker gang saves his friend from a medical experiment.

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. Otomo will act as executive producer on this live action adaptation.

Akira is slated to hit theaters in 2013.