Based on the beloved Japanese manga property of the same name, Ghost in the Shell follows Major (Scarlett Johansson), a one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid that leads an elite task force and is given the opportunity to take down some of the world’s most dangerous criminals alongside her team, Section 9. When that team is threatened with an enemy like no other however, the group face their biggest challenge yet, and face having their cyber technology advancements wiped out altogether if they fail in their mission.
In cinemas on March 30
Today, Paramount Pictures have released a brand new featurette ahead of the film’s release, allowing fans to get a little bit closer to Johansson’s portrayal of Major and go behind-the-scenes to see how some of the action was brought to the big screen. You can see that clip below:
‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano, Michael Carmen Pitt, Pilou Asbaek, Chin Han and Juliette Binoche all also star, with the sci-fi crime drama directed by Rupert Sanders and written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger.
The casting of Johansson in the lead role didn’t come without its criticism, with accusations of ‘whitewashing’ – where filmmakers will hire a white actor instead of someone from a minority background for a role that was sourced from a character with a minority heritage. Los Angeles Times writer Marc Bernardin previously commented: “The only race Hollywood cares about is the box office rate.”
Johansson herself also responded to the criticism, saying: “I certainly would never presume to play another race of a person. Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive. Also, having a franchise with a female protagonist driving it is such a rare opportunity. Certainly, I feel the enormous pressure of that – the weight of such a big property on my shoulders.”
Ghost in the Shell comes to cinemas across the UK on March 30, 2017.
Tagged in Scarlett Johansson