Andrew Garfield for manga comic movie Akira?

Andrew Garfield has been approached to take on one of the lead roles in the re-imagining of 'Akira'.

The live action adaptation of the iconic magna comic is set to start shooting in August following a script rewrite by Steve Kloves and bosses have now sent the latest version to a short list of actors from which they hope to pick the two main roles.

The original story - focusing on teen biker gang member Kaneda and his friend Tetsuo - was set in post-nuclear war Tokyo in 2019 while the new movie is expected to take place in New York.

Andrew, Robert Pattinson and James McAvoy have all been approached for the role of Tetsuo - who is saved from a medical experiment by his friend - while Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake and Joaquin Phoenix are being considered for the role of Kaneda, according to Deadline.com

While screenwriter Kloves wrote the latest draft of the script, Albert Torres, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby and Gary Whitta have all previously worked on the project.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way production company is working on the $300 million project for Warner Brothers with Allen and Albert Hughes directing.

The intention is to make two films, each covering three books in the six-part series. 'Akira' was first adapted for the screen in 1988.