Scarlett Johansson has started filming Ghost In The Shell as the production located in New Zealand (said to be doubling Japan) was announced by Paramount and DreamWorks to have begun.
They’ve also included the first image of Johansson as the lead heroine of the film The Major, looking a lot like the character from the original anime film.
Joining Scarlett in the film directed by Rupert Sanders includes cast members Michael Pitt, Takeshi Kitano, Pilou Asbæk, Michael Wincott and Christopher Obi.
The last two haven’t been picked-up by the trades as being apart of the cast, but had been spotted in New Zealand as being linked to the film in unknown roles.
Deadline adds that Juliette Binoche and Kaori Momoi have joined the lineup as well.
It’s release date has been set for March 31st, 2017.
Below is the official press release for the manga adaptation movie.
The film, which is based on the famous Kodansha Comics manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, is produced by Avi Arad (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2,” “IRON MAN”), Ari Arad (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”), and Steven Paul (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”). Michael Costigan (“PROMETHEUS”), Tetsu Fujimura (“TEKKEN”), Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, whose animation studio Production I.G produced the Japanese “GHOST IN THE SHELL” film and television series, and Jeffrey Silver (“EDGE OF TOMORROW,” “300”) will executive produce.
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.
“We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot ‘GHOST IN THE SHELL,’” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”
SOURCE: DREAMWORKS/PARAMOUNT