The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Boardwalk Empire and Hannibal actor Michael Pitt (The Sleeping Shepherd, Criminal) has landed a major role in DreamWorks’ live-action feature adaptation of Ghost In The Shell.
Michael will play leading villain The Laughing Man, who was seen in the animated series.
The antagonist is a bitter and vengeful man with a body that is part robot. He has a unique sense of style and has been described as a bad guy filtered through the lens of a street artist.
The manga/anime adaptation will be directed by Snow White and The Huntsman‘s Rupert Sanders, with leads Scarlett Johansson as The Major and Pilou Asbæk as Baotu, the pair had scenes together in Luc Besson’s Lucy.
Sam Riley (Control, PPPZ) had been previously in talks for the Laughing Man role, but it looks like Pitt was chosen instead.
Shell is eyeing a late February production start in New Zealand, with a release date of March 31st, 2017.
SOURCE: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER