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The newest adaption of Osamu Tezuka’s famous Astro Boy will be hitting theatres in North America on October 23, 2009 and at San Diego’s Comic-Con International Panel, Summit Entertainment announced that Samuel L. Jackson would have a cameo voice-acting role. Further details regarding the self-proclaimed manga fan’s character were not released.

The cast is already an impressive, all-star group of talent and adding Jackson into the mix only raises speculation of how good this film may indeed be amongst the fan community. Some of the other actors include, Freddie Highmore as Astro (Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Kristen Bell as Cora (Gossip Girl, Heroes), Nathan Lane (The Producers), Bill Nighy (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), and Nicholas Cage as the voice of Dr. Tenma.

The movie is a feature length, CGI animated piece, set in the futuristic Metro City. Astro Boy, a robot created by Dr. Tenma, can fly, has super strength, x-ray vision, and incredible speed. Astro is trying to understand his place in life and what it means to be a human. When he discovers his family and friends in danger, Astro returns to Metro City to become a true hero.

Astro Boy has a long, rich history that was created by Osamu Tezuka, dubbed the God of Manga. In 1951, the first comic to feature Astro was released in Japan, followed by 193 episodes of a black and white Astro Boy cartoon on television, ending its broadcast in 1966. Astro Boy debuted a theatrical film in 1964 entitled, Tetsuwan Atom – Uchu no Yusha or, Astro Boy – The Brave in Space. After the film’s success, Astro Boy was back on television in the 1980′s, all new and in color. Again in 2003, Astro Boy was on television, this time in hi-vision color and all new animation.

In honor of Osamu Tezuka, a museum was opened in 1994, featuring a child-friendly gallery and exhibits devoted to Tezuka’s life. Astro Boy was also recently inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame in 2004, alongside such famous robots as C3PO and R2D2, from Star Wars. Astro Boy remains today in Japan, a vivid and popular figure, featured on t-shirts, bags, toys and dozens of everyday items. He has a statue in Hanno Saitama and has been ranked amongst the 50 greatest comic characters in history.

Astro Boy is fifty-eight years old and while some anime and manga fans do not like it, some radical in their opinion of how horrible it is, must remember that this was the first animated show to be produced in Japan and broke boundaries by becoming a phenomenon across the world. Without Tezuka and his Astro Boy, Japanese animation may have a very different history and popularity.