Ghost in the Shell (2017) Scarlett Johansson, Michael Pit,t Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han & Juliette Binoche

[LcnsdbyROYALTY]

Paramount Pictures began streaming three teaser clips for the live-action Ghost in the Shell film on Wednesday, showing three different scenes from the film. The first video shows an apparent android in geisha attire. The second video shows the Major (Scarlett Johansson) in a room, reminiscent of an early scene in the 1995 anime film. The third shows the Major with another character.

The Ghost in the Shell film is planned for an American release on March 31, 2017.

The studios shared a synopsis with the first image of lead actress Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers, Lucy, Lost in Translation) as the Major (pictured below left) last month:

Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology.

The cast and crew were spotted filming in Hong Kong in June.

In addition to Johansson, Pilou Asbæk (Lucy) will play Batou. Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) will play the Laughing Man. Director, comedian, and actor Beat Takeshi (also known as Takeshi Kitano) plays the Public Security Section 9 founder and chief Daisuke Aramaki.

French actress Juliette Binoche (2014's Godzilla, The English Patient, Chocolat) will play Dr. Ouelet, and Kaori Momoi (Sukiyaki Western Django, Memoirs of a Geisha, Helter Skelter) and Rila Fukushima (The Wolverine) will also have roles in the film. The actors for the other Section 9 task force members include: Chin Han (Independence Day: Resurgence), Danusia Samal (Tyrant), Lasarus Ratuere (Terra Nova), Yutaka Izumihara (Unbroken), and Tuwanda Manyimo (The Rover).

Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) signed on to direct the film. Jonathan Herman (Straight Outta Compton) reworked the earlier drafts of the script written by William Wheeler (Hoax, The Reluctant Fundamentalist) and Jamie Moss (Street Kings). Weta Workshop and its co-founder Richard Taylor are working on the film. Deadline reported last year that Johansson was offered US$10 million for the lead role.

Additional staff members include cinematographer Jess Hall (The Spectacular Now, editor Neil Smith (Snow White and the Huntsman), production designer Jan Roelfs (Fast & Furious 6), and costume designers Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay).

Dreamworks and Paramount are co-financing and co-producing the film. Paramount Pictures is the film's new distributor, after Dreamworks ended its distribution deal with Walt Disney Pictures. Principal photography began in Wellington, New Zealand in January.

The anime studio Production I.G pitched the rights for Masamune Shirow's original cyber-police manga on behalf of the manga's publisher Kodansha in 2007, and Dreamworks acquired the live-action film rights in 2008. Ari Arad (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance), Avi Arad (formerly of Marvel Studios as well as of the Spider-Man and X-Men movie franchises), and Seaside Entertainment's Steven Paul (Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) are producing. The executive producers include Michael Costigan (Prometheus), Jeffrey Silver (Edge of Tomorrow, 300), Tetsu Fujimura (Tekken), and Production I.G founder and head Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.

 

[atribecalledgabi]

Oh god.....

 

[bigev240]

I want to give it a chance mainly because of the anime, but I don't know right now.

 

[1CK1S]

Looks like Aeon Flux 2.0

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I want to give it a chance mainly because of the anime, but I don't know right now.

This is how I feel too. My expectations are very low. The thing is, I can see the potential for this possibly being a decent movie that is ruined by the fact that it shits on the source material

 

[1CK1S]

 

[black caesar]

I knew this was a big deal in 95, but I didn't watch it back then. Is it worth watching? School a brotha...

 

[Beta]

Only reason I would watch this is become it's a movie in a futuristic setting. Wasn't a big fan of the anime

 

[dontdiedontkillanyon]

I knew this was a big deal in 95, but I didn't watch it back then. Is it worth watching? School a brotha...

Yeah, the anime is definitely worth watching, plus you can see where a lot of the ideas and scenes for The Matrix were lifted from.

 

[LcnsdbyROYALTY]

Random but Stand Alone Complex >>>>>>>>>>> every other incarnation of the franchise

 

[LcnsdbyROYALTY]

1st trailer is here...

 

[Beta]

Hmmmmmmm

 

[CottonCitySlim]

nawwww...

 

[dontdiedontkillanyon]

The route they're going with regarding the story seems like typical cliched Hollywood fodder. Keep the themes in philosophy and technology, we don't need another Bourne.

Good to see Tricky still blagging film roles. ScarJo better get destroyed by the tank at the end.

 

[texas409]

hope she gets naked

 

[dontdiedontkillanyon]

 

[KINGEC]

hope she gets naked

Just cause.

Spoiler

 

[Valentinez A. Kaiser]

good thing you posted that trailer because I was about to say those 10 second clips in the opening post were wack juice!

 

[Karl.]

I loved the animated film. I'll check this out.

 

[Juttythe3rd]

i aint even mad