Scarlett Johansson, who has really cornered the market on kick-ass action heroines, may soon be lining up another. She's been offered the role of Motoko Kusanagi, the cyborg cop from the beloved anime/manga series Ghost in the Shell.
Hunger Games Mockingay: Win A Trip To The London Premiere
The live-action remake of the seminal 1995 animated film is currently undergoing pre-production at DreamWorks, and landing an A-lister like Johansson would almost certainly guarantee that the film gets made. According to Deadline, the studio has offered the 29 year-old actress $10 million for the role. Previously, Margot Robbie was in talks for the role, but with DC's recent bombardment of all their entire release plan, she was quickly snatched up for the Suicide Squad movie.
Johansson has an ethereal, slightly detached look which is perfect for the role of Motoko, a cyborg who has to confront what remains of her humanity. In the anime and manga, the 'Ghost' in question is not simply the cyberbrain of the user, but the embodiment of the human soul. With the recent success of the scientifically questionable Lucy, and of course her turn as Black Widow in the Marvel films and I cannot think of a better pairing between character and actress. The woman is strangely believable as a badass warrior, but is also talented enough for the roles she is given.
Rick And Morty Season 2 Rumors
If you need more proof of her 'strange' bona fides, and Ghost in the Shell is quite strange, you should immediately seek out Under The Skin. I should not say much more than that, but know that it is essentially an audition to play a character that is almost, but not quite, human.
Ghost in the Shell began as a manga comic in Japan in 1989 before being adapted as a film in 1995, where it became one of the first big animes that reached the States. Its influence can be seen in The Matrix. A sequel, Ghost In The Shell: Innocence was released in 2002. Several animated series have come and gone over the years, the latest being Ghost In The Shell: Arise, a four-episode series released in 2013.
The film adaptation is currently scheduled to be directed by Rupert Sanders, who helmed the visually spectacular (but shoddily written) Snow White and the Huntsman. No release date has been set and nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
