While Paramount’s Ghost in the Shell teaser trailer has already been released online, it’s been announced that millions more will have the pleasure of viewing it during the Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday. Unfortunately the teaser doesn’t offer up a considerable amount of new footage, but don’t fret, the wait is nearly over. Director Rupert Sanders will deliver his adaptation of the seminal manga and anime on March 31st.
For those not familiar with Masamune Shirow’s original version or the anime film, it focuses on Motoko Kusanagi (Scarlett Johansson), cybernetic law-enforcement agent who tracks down a cyborg-hacking villain known as The Puppet Master. Films like this, Akira, and almost anything from Studio Ghibli have been pivotal in bringing attention to the anime genre to western audiences. The Wachowski sisters for example were heavily influenced by Ghost in the Shell when creating The Matrix. It wouldn’t be surprising to catch big studios adapting other anime into live-action blockbusters in the future.
So far the released footage of Ghost in the Shell seems to have had a polarizing effect on the opinions of its original fans. Some are excited to see Scarlett Johansson cast in the lead role, while others are upset and offended by continued whitewashing in Hollywood. Some are reassured in seeing Sanders’ accurate recreation of memorable scenes, while others view it as stealing from what’s already been done. However at mxdwn Movies we’ll reserve our opinions for the film’s release. You can watch the teaser below and tell us what you think.
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