Disney has recently announced the new Ghost in the Shell live-action movie, a DreamWorks Pictures Production, has been scheduled to premiere on April 14, 2017. That’s pretty far away, but a set date is a step in the right direction.

Many anime fans, including myself of course, have waited for this moment for almost 20 years and it has finally arrived… almost. No doubt Disney will spend the next two years teasing us relentlessly with tiny glimpses of what’s to come in the form of behind the scenes photos and non-sensical montage trailers.

I’m kinda torn on my feelings here, as are many people, mainly with the casting choice. I’m an avid classic anime fan, yet I love Scarlett Johansson as an actor and I mostly like Dreamworks productions, particularly their animated and fantasy/sci fi stuff. Scarlett Johansson has portrayed butt-kicking heroines brilliantly in her more recent career, particularly in Lucy and her role as Black Widow in the Avengers and Marvel series.

I’m really hoping this film doesn’t go down the path of Dragon Ball: Evolution and Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li, two horrific examples of attempts to overly Westernise a genre that derives it’s core identity from Japanese culture. It would be a total waste of what I think is definitely one of the most iconic and genre-defining anime movies of its time. If done right however, this movie is going to be EPIC. The budget is definitely going to be out of control, so bring on the sweet special effects!

 

 

The casting in this Hollywood adaptation has also recently been criticised as an example of ‘whitewashing’, when originally non-caucasian characters are portrayed by caucasian actors in film and media.

A petition has been created in an attempt to convince Dreamworks to drop Scarlett Johansson from the lead role, arguing “Dreamworks could be using this film to help provide opportunities for Asian-American actors in a market with few opportunities for them to shine”. Being an actress and coming from part-Asian decent I can relate here… it would be a nice thing to see and would perhaps help to maintain some cultural authenticity, considering everyone is going to be speaking in thick American accents anyway.

YES to 90s anime movies. Check out the English trailer from the 1995 original below. An example of pure anime gold.

 

 

 

Meanwhile a new Japanese animated feature film for the series is set to screen for the 25th Anniversary of the Ghost in the Shell franchise later this year.

Not much on this yet, other than the screenplay is being written by Tow Ubutaka (writer of the Ghost in the Shell: Arise movies) and directed by Kazuya Nomura (of the Robotics;Notes anime series).

Check out the short teaser trailer and promotional artwork below.

 

 

 

 

 

– Geek and Gamer Girl x