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Warner Bros is pushing the pause button on Akira . The project, which has been through several incarnations, is being shut down in the face of casting and budgetary issues. The production offices in Vancouver are being closed, with below-the-line talent and crew told to stop working. “ Everybody is being sent home ,” according to an insider. Producers, who include Appian Way’s Jennifer Kiloran Davisson and Mad Chance’s Andrew Lazar, will hunker down with director Jaume Collet-Serra for the next two weeks to iron out the script. It is unclear if Harry Potter scribe Steve Kloves, who did a pricey rewrite on the project a year ago, will be brought in to help out. If the issues cannot be resolved, the project could end up being shelved entirely, say insiders. Collet-Serra already had halved the budget from the incarnation that Albert Hughes was going to direct. He now is working on a budget in the $90 million range. But with only Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy) signed on to star, a

Has Jaume Collet-Sera's Akira found its female lead? Twitch is reporting that Kristen Stewart has been offered the part of Kei , a young medium who becomes the love interest for Kaneda - the role already offered to Hedlund. Garrett Hedlund Could Star In Akira- Stewart is a choice that makes sense on most levels - she's certainly talented and has name recognition far above most in her generation - but also concerning in that none of the Twilight cast, Stewart included, have been able to find any sort of success outside of that franchise with Twilight fans not caring what any of them do elsewhere and everyone else generally staying away because of the Twilight stigma. Could this break the trend if Stewart accepts? Possibly - that it's more of a support role than a lead will help - but it's a somewhat risky move. Please Leave A Comment-

While Tron:Legacy didn’t make him a star, Garrett Hedlund will probably get another shot at the brass ring with Akira . The actor is in negotiations to star as Kaneda in Warner Bros’ adaptation of the Japanese manga classic being directed by Jaume Collet-Sera. To sum up the sprawling plot succinctly: In post-apocalyptic New Manhattan, a motorcycle gang leader ( Hedlund ) must stop fellow gang member and his brother from abusing his newly acquired telekinetic powers. The movie has been long in the works, with its budget finally being approved two weeks ago, paving the way for offers to go out. Helena Bonham Carter and Gary Oldman have been approached for roles, as has Keira Knightley . Thus far, only Hedlund has engaged. Hedlund is best known for his work on TV’s Friday Night Lights, but he has appeared in movies such as Country Strong. His first screen appearance was in Troy, where he played Brad Pitt’s cousin. Disney's Tron, despite making $400 million worldwide, was

Fall Movie Previews Part 2 After an amazing summer of movies, with some low points in between Hollywood is gearing up for the fall season with some amazing looking films. Films that I am looking forward to seeing The Town, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Buried, Waiting for Superman, The Social Network, Let Me In and Red. What movies are heading to a theater near you? Here is our fall preview... Watch the trailers after the Jump.. NOVEMBER “ 127 Hours ” (Nov. 5) – The “Slumdog Millionaire” team of scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy and director Danny Boyle returns for this true-life tale starring James Franco as Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who resorts to cutting his lower right arm after being trapped under a boulder. “ Due Date ” (Nov. 5) – “The Hangover’s” Todd Phillips directs this road trip comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. as a father-to-be who is forced to hitch a ride with Zach Galifianakis to make it to his child’s birth on time. “ Fair Game ” (Nov. 5) – Naomi W

Jeff Bridge's Tron: Legacy Is Like Crazy Heart Jeff Bridges finally got his long over due Oscar last night for the perforamce is Crazy Heart. But if most of you out there are like me weare more interseted in his upcoming film Tron:Legacy. Bridges said the long over due sequel has a lot in common with Crazy Heart. Bridges spoke with press at the Spirt Awards last week and let us know that Crazy Heart is not far from Tron:Legacy "You know, somebody asked me just a moment ago about the difference between these big-budget films and independent films," Bridges said. "A lot of it is very similar. Some of these big-budget films, Tron and Iron Man, you think you're doing a student film sometimes." Considering that Tron:Legacy surely costs much more than the original Tron did in 1982,what's so independent about the Walt Disney Studio's upcoming blockbuster? "The scripts aren't written completely," Bridges said. "There's a lot of improvi