Gizmodo - First look at Scarlett Johansson as Ghost in the Shell

 

 

 

The Western adaptation of the iconic cyberpunk manga and anime series Ghost in the Shell has entered production—and with that news, we have our first look at Scarlett Johansson in the lead role as Major Matoko Kusanagi.

 

The star of Masamune Shirow’s smash hit manga—translated into an iconic animated series by Production I.G. in serveral series and OVAs over the past 20 years—Kusanagi is the cybernetically-enhanced head of counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9, operating in a dystopic 21st century Japan.

 

It still bothers us a lot that this role isn’t being played by an Asian actor—but at least the the shot released of Johansson captures the vibe of Shirow’s dark world pretty decently. Hey the ethnicity of the lead character doesn’t matter as long as they got the hairstyle right, right? Ugh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directed by Snow White and the Huntsman’s Rupert Sanders, Ghost in the Shell is expected to release on March 31st, 2017.

 

Johannson sure has that vacant expression down pat.

 

 

So Marvel seems to have cast black girls as Brunhilde/Valkyrie and Mary Jane Watson. Just rumors so far, as the roles haven't been announced, but those are the best guesses based on role descriptions. Being celebrated by peoole who rage against cultural appropriation.

Seeing as the real world inspiration for Brunhilde was a Spanish Visigoth, I don't really see the problem - she's clearly already changed colour before. Spider-Man himself and his support characters are also pretty racial neutral. The characters could work in basically any racial setting.

 

Casting Thor as black however would be a bit weird - as they did with Heimdal. But the Marvel universe is pretty diverse as it is and since the Norse gods are a race of aliens, I guess skin color is the lesser detour

Visigoths were Germanic. So its not like there was much of a colour change.

This was a TV thing Leonard did, now with George Takei, for X-Men: Apocalypse.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=xlPw8NUZuuU

Eye in the Sky. Riveting. Also, I've never heard a packed cinema go immediately quiet near the end of the movie. Couldn't hear anyone breathing. My girlfriend had her hand over her mouth and didn't move for a couple of minutes.

Eye in the Sky. Riveting. Also, I've never heard a packed cinema go immediately quiet near the end of the movie. Couldn't hear anyone breathing. My girlfriend had her hand over her mouth and didn't move for a couple of minutes.

Guess they kill the kid then?

That's not why everyone went silent.

Interesting. Figured the kid would get offed, would be too unrealistic if they held up an assassination for that.

 

Will have to nab that when it's out.

 

Huh, I'm actually surprised at how well they are pulling off the look.  I didn't have much faith in it being live action, but I like the style.  It still looks a bit goofy, but that fits with the setting well enough.

Other than the blasted wabbajack music, it's exceeded my expecations. To be fair, my expectations were low.

Other than the blasted wabbajack music, it's exceeded my expecations. To be fair, my expectations were low.

Mine were a bit too high. Looks like something out of Syfy but I will go see it most likely.

Oh, me too. It took superhero movies 20 years to start getting good, I want video game movies to get a headstart.

I had high hopes for Max Payne doing that once. Ahh, optimism

Doom wasn't bad

I finally got around to watching Ex-Machina. Vastly overrated. Very weak main character--more of a foil than anything else. Terminated the interview scenes just as they could have begun to introduce real substance to the film. Inexplicable ending. Glaring technical inconsistencies. Bleh.

I finally got around to watching Ex-Machina. Vastly overrated. Very weak main character--more of a foil than anything else. Terminated the interview scenes just as they could have begun to introduce real substance to the film. Inexplicable ending. Glaring technical inconsistencies. Bleh.

Yea.. aside from the eye candy, I thought that movie was poop too.

Doom wasn't bad

 

It was just Aliens more than it was Doom. The first person section was hilarious and probably the most fun I've had in a video game movie. I also thought Prince of Persia was barely passable entertainment and while Silent Hill didn't capture the subtle horror of the games at all, it looked amazing. So we're starting to get there a little bit. But this year we've got three - a Ratchet and Clank movie, WarCraft and Assassin's Creed. If one of those is hugely succesful, it might open the door for more videogame movies and at a certain point they might start getting good. I mean, we had to sit through a lot of Daredevils to get a Dark Knight, didn't we? Personally, my money is on WarCraft.

My kids are excited about Ratchet and Clank, so they must be doing something right.

 

I was always a fan of the Resident Evil movies, but I can also just spend 90 minutes staring at a picture of Milla Jovovich and be content.

My kids are excited about Ratchet and Clank, so they must be doing something right.

 

I was always a fan of the Resident Evil movies, but I can also just spend 90 minutes staring at a picture of Milla Jovovich and be content.

 

I just saved you whatever a movie ticket costs in California.

And I just lost 90 minutes of time.  

Man would have spared myself Matrix sequels by just looking at Bellucci

This one kind of slipped up on me...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmDrCb6Z-k&feature=youtu.be

This one kind of slipped up on me...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whmDrCb6Z-k&feature=youtu.be

 

Loved Seven Samurai and The (original) Magnificent Seven. 

 

Hopefully Westerns are making a quasi comeback.

If I make a list of movies not in need of a remake, 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'Shichinin no Samurai' would make the top 20, if not the top 10.

 

If you've never seen them, go do it. Better than everything that comes out of Hollywood these days, and certainly much better than what's obviously not a good adaption based on that preview.

If I make a list of movies not in need of a remake, 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'Shichinin no Samurai' would make the top 20, if not the top 10.

 

If you've never seen them, go do it. Better than everything that comes out of Hollywood these days, and certainly much better than what's obviously not a good adaption based on that preview.

Off the top of my head, the Seven Samurai story has been done 11 times (without counting the parodies (like The Magnificent 11) or the TV episodes (original Battlestar Galactaca's "The Magnificent Warriors"):

 

• Shichinin no Samurai
• The Magnificent Seven
• Return of the Seven
• Guns of the Magnificent Seven
• The Magnificent Seven Ride
• Liu he qian shou
• Battle Beyond the Stars
• I sette magnifici gladiatori
• Dikiy vostok
• The Magnificent Seven (TV Series)
• Samurai 7 (Animated Series)

Does one more really matter (regardless of quality)?