The first footage from Ghost in the Shell has hit the WWW. Five ten-second ‘viral teasers’ have been released, revealing glimpses of what the film – a live-action adaptation of the original anime – promises. Directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman), the film lifts its story from the well-known Kodansha Comics sci-fi manga series.
Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotics’ advancements in cyber technology.
When it was first announced, the film came under heavy scrutiny for whitewashing, as Scarlett Johansson was cast in the role of the Major. Many were worried this would be another case to add to the filing cabinet of ‘accidentally racist’ filmmaking. Or another example of the white saviour narrative.
However, this early footage looks promising. Fashion fans may recognise model Adwoa Aboah from the final teaser, whose role has not yet been specified. (Is she blind?) It could go one of two ways: we have a Matrix-like sci-fi hit on our hands – another film that was inspired by the original – or we have another redundant manga adaptation, à la Aeon Flux. Time will tell.
The film is scheduled for a release in March 2017. Watch all five teasers below:
