So it's all over the trades today that Leonardo DiCaprio's production company has teamed up with Warner Bros. to produce two live-action films based on Katsuhiro Otomo's iconic graphic novel "Akira" and Aint It Cool News reports Leo's going to star as Kaneda. Joseph Gordon Levitt, who through fine work in films like "Brick" and "The Lookout" has made nearly everyone forget his launch to fame on the sitcom "Third Rock From The Sun," is apparently onboard as Tetsuo.

Genius casting! DiCaprio simply doesn't pick bad projects. The guy's got the Midas touch, so if he's involved as producer AND star, then I'm very confident the adaptation of one of the greatest graphic novels & Anime pictures EVER is in good hands. And Gordon Levitt is a fantastic actor who's well on his way to fanboy Demi-Godness if this and G.I. Joe hit big.

No word yet on when "Akira" could hit theaters -- but do yourself a favor and check out Otomo's six-volume Graphic Novel collection. It's an absolute masterpiece, as is the anime movie adaptation that is as mesmerizing today as it was two decades ago.