The most shared article on Facebook today was the news that Scarlett Johansson will play the lead role in a Hollywood live-action remake of the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell.
With reactions coming from across the Japanese Internet, what do netizens think about the remake? And what about the choice of casting for the female protagonist, Kusanagi Motoko?
From Yahoo! Japan:
Hollywood To Make Live-Action Version Of “Ghost In The Shell”, Scarlett Johansson To Play Lead Role
Kusanagi Motoko
Variety reports that it has been decided that Scarlett Johansson (LUCY, 2014) will play the lead role in the Hollywood live-action remake of “Ghost in the Shell”, the popular cyber-punk comic by Shiro Masamune, which is being developed by US studio DreamWorks.
It was reported that Scarlett was offered the role last year, but it appears that several Hollywood insiders are saying that the deal has been concluded.
“Ghost in the Shell” is set in a future Japan where cyborg technology has advanced, and depicts the activities of a band of mobile armoured riot police led by Kusanagi Motoko of Public Security Section 9, and apparently Scarlett is scheduled to play the role of Kusanagi Motoko. However, it seems that the names of the protagonists and other cast dramatized in the Hollywood version have yet to be decided.
According to Variety, Stephen Spielberg, who is one of the founders of DreamWorks, is a huge fan of the original Ghost in the Shell. And now that popular star Scarlett Johansson is on board, chances are that this will spur on the production of the film. Moreover, there is the possibility that Paramount Pictures will co-produce and co-finance the film.
As regards the Hollywood remake, Rupert Sanders, who directed the movie “Snow White” (2012) is being touted as director. Producers will be Avi Arad, who has been involved in several action and super-hero movies such as “The Amazing Spiderman” series and “Iron Man” (2008), and Stephen Paul, who produced the “Ghost Rider” series. William Wheeler, who wrote the script for the movie “The Hoax” (2011) is scheduled to be involved in the screenplay.
Comments from Yahoo! Japan:
bik*****:
There are some works that it’s better not to remake as live action, though.
tke*****:
Even in the world of Japanese anime, I think that Ghost in the Shell is an important, major title.
So I hope that they don’t change the image of this anime by doing a strange foreign live-action remake…
Personally I think that it was enough with just “The Matrix”, which was also based on Ghost in the Shell…
got*****:
It seems that the role won’t be Motoko as she actually is, but personally I kinda feel that my own image of Motoko is a bit different from Scarlett Johansson.
Scarlett Johansson is sexy I guess, but she gets attached to more glamorous roles, so I guess she’s too human.
It will probably depend on the balance of the other characters, but I’m not all like “Oh! Wow!” about this.
bz1*****:
It’s not OK to just make a live action-version of very last thing!
That’s what I want to say to Hollywood.
They made a real fuck-up of DragonBall! (笑)
ジェニファー呂比須:
I think that Scarlett Johansson is one of the loveliest actresses round, but she doesn’t suit the image of Ghost in the Shell at all.
If they have to make a live-action version, then at least they should get an actor who has a colder image…
ボンボン:
If they’re going to make it anyway, then I think it’s better for it to be seen as a separate entity made from the original idea rather than the original work.
ama*****:
At the very least I don’t think Ghost in the Shell is suited to a live-action remake by Hollywood.
They’ll probably simplify it because the minute a story gets even slightly complicated the Americans just don’t include it.
Plus, in order to make a highlight in the film I’m sure they’ll focus on the battles, but if it just becomes a battle film then there’s no point in it being Ghost in the Shell.
If they do a good job it’ll probably be a hit in the US, but I think that this will already mean that not Ghost in the Shell.
rap*****:
They’ve been talking about it for a while, but now I guess it’s going to happen?
I don’t think there has been any greater failure than the remake of DragonBall, but I guess this’ll be adapted broadly.
twg*****:
Live action remakes really divide opinion.
I think it’s probably better if they don’t erode the original image of the comics though.
Comments from 2ch.net:
目潰し(愛知県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Motoko is a cyborg, so anything is possible.
垂直落下式DDT(東日本)＠＼(^o^)／:
If Johansson is in it, I wanna see it.
フライングニールキック(兵庫県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Scarlett Johansson is not a great choice, but she’s not a bad choice either is she?
I’m concerned about who else they’re going to cast.
ナガタロックII(SB-iPhone)＠＼(^o^)／:
She’s pretty voluptuous.
ニールキック(京都府)＠＼(^o^)／:
She’s going to be an erotic lieutenant.
稲妻レッグラリアット(SB-iPhone)＠＼(^o^)／:
Mila Jovovich would have been good.
垂直落下式DDT(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:
This was fine as it was, as an anime.
Don’t just make everything into live-action.
ローリングソバット(東京都)＠＼(^o^)／:
Seems like this is a done deal, a failure.
Same stink about it as when they did DragonBall.
パイルドライバー(愛知県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Scarlett Johansson doesn’t have enough muscle.
Muscle.
クロイツラス(大阪府)＠＼(^o^)／:
They got it wrong.
Plus Scarlett Johansson has a face that looks like a fish.
パイルドライバー(愛知県)＠＼(^o^)／:
This is a Hollywood remake that will ignore the original.
I like it though.
I think it will be interesting for what it is.
タイガードライバー(茨城県)＠＼(^o^)／:
And so the number of shit films rises….
パイルドライバー(愛知県)＠＼(^o^)／:
Why doesn’t Japan make a live-action version!
Kusanagi is Japanese, right?
Or at least her setup is.
