DiCaprio 'to produce anime film'

Leonardo DiCaprio will produce through his company Appian Way

Leonardo DiCaprio is to produce a live-action version of anime classic Akira, according to Hollywood Reporter.

The 1988 Japanese film was considered to be a groundbreaking piece of animation, co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo.

It is set in 2019 in post-nuclear war New Tokyo where a biker gains super powers after being subjected to experiments.

Warner Bros is aiming for a release in 2009, it is reported.

Unlike the original, the new movie will be set in New Manhattan, a city rebuilt with Japanese cash.