Scarlett Johansson gets a rude awakening.
[dropcap size=small]A[/dropcap]fter several short teasers and two full-length trailers, Paramount Pictures have dropped a new clip for the US live-action adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell.
In the clip, we see our first proper glimpse of Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet, who awakens a rather confused Scarlett Johansson (The Major).
Check it out below:
The Major was apparently involved in a terrorist attack that necessitated the acquisition of a new cyborg body – so we’re assuming this scene takes place at the start of the movie.
The tagline for the clip – “They took my life, I’ll take my revenge” – does sound very Hollywood, so I still can’t shake the fear that this adaptation will be a somewhat shallow look at Ghost In The Shell’s profound exploration of technology and what it means to be human.
It’s very hard for me to remove my GITS fan hat and look at this film with anything other than dubious apprehension, but I will say that it does look like DreamWorks have captured the look of the futuristic cyberpunk setting in Japan with style.
Director Rupert Sanders has addressed the very same fear I expressed above in an interview with DenofGeek, during which he talked about his hopes of delivering a film that exceeds fans expectations and trepidations:
“We’re not steamrolling anything that was great about it.” That was the biggest challenge: people were thinking, “Oh sh*t, you’re going to make a really sh*tty Hollywood version of it.” That was never our intention, and I hope that’s what people respect about it. That they’ll go, “It’s more than we thought it was going to be.” I think there’s something there that a lot of people will get something out of.”
Can the film overcome the Hollywood whitewashing controversy and fan expectations, and still deliver us a good iteration of Shirow’s wonderful work?
I have my doubts, but only time will tell.
The live-action Ghost In The Shell is set for release March 31.
