Ken Watanabe Offered The Colonel in Akira

It is now being reported that Gary Oldman has turned down the role of The Colonel in WB' Akira. The part has now been offered to Ken Watanabe.

The colonel is the military leader who is assigned to take down Tetsuo after they figure out he may have enormous power.

Akira (1988) synopsis:

Kaneda is a bike gang leader whose close friend Tetsuo gets involved in a government secret project known as Akira. On his way to save Tetsuo, Kaneda runs into a group of anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader. The confrontation sparks off Tetsuo's supernatural power leading to bloody death, a coup attempt and the final battle in Tokyo Olympiad where Akira's secrets were buried 30 years ago.