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DreamWorks to Make Live-Action Ghost in the Shell Movie in 3D

Posted on Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

Ghost in the Shell

DreamWorks has acquired rights to the Japanese postcyberpunk manga Ghost in the Shell after Steven Spielberg took personal interest in the popular anime property. Variety reports that the studio plans to develop Shell into a 3D live-action feature-length film. Created by Masamune Shirow (Appleseed), Ghost in the Shell was first published in 1989 in Young Magazine. Over the years the manga has been adapted into three anime films, two anime television series, and three PlayStation video games.

According to Wikipedia, the futuristic police thriller follows the exploits of Motoko Kusanagi, a member of the covert operations section of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission, Section 9, which specializes in fighting technology-related crime. Kusanagi is capable of superhuman feats, and bionically specialized for her job - her body is almost completely mechanized; only her brain and a segment of her spinal cord are organic. I have never seen Ghost in the Shell, but the concept sounds like it could make a really cool live-action film.

And while Spielberg was instrumental on getting this project done at DreamWorks, he’s not attached to the project in any official capacity (at least as far as I can tell… may-be he’s executive producer?). Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul will produce, and Street Kings screenwriter Jamie Moss has been hired to pen the adaptation.

I have included the movie trailer for Ghost in a Shell 2: Innocence below for your viewing pleasure.

Discuss: Are you excited fora live action 3D Ghost in the Shell movie? Who should direct?

Comments

AlexanderJ

I guess it's officially started. I was wondering when Hollywood was going to dry up it's source of comic remakes and start importing Manga and Anime.

Captain Awesome

They're going to ruin this property.

REAL6

Mamoru Oshii should direct. No one knows his work better than him.

Sibella Luna

agreed, he started ghost, therefore he should continue ghost. and hollywood is going to kill my childhood. I grew up on this anime, I still love this anime and many others and they are going to kill them for so many of us ><. They are running out of ideas and since no one likes to be "creative" anymore they just start pulling stuff that was good to begin with and killing it. Akira is being worked on by Leonardo DiCaprio... I'm scared to see what these guys will do

hatecr0w

Well I guess since they already remake nearly every Japanese horror film that is a success it's not that big of a leap to start on other aspects of a culture that hasn't yet lost the ideas of creativity and imagination. Just take a look at what's happening with all the bloated and uninspired remakes, sequels, and poor translations of American film, TV, and books/comics. It's time for them to start ruining someone else's childhood.

Captain Awesome

"Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul will produce, and Street Kings screenwriter Jamie Moss has been hired to pen the adaptation."

Probably the worst group of people to get for a great project like this. You might as well just hand it to Raimi to direct it into the ground.

AntiHero

Why would you include the trailer for Innocence? It has nothing to do with the main storyline, it's pretty much just a side story.

joe

Ah, you didnt see it? i dont get why so many people are ignoring some great anime movies/series :

Floppy

I hope they don't take such a great adult manga and turn it into a kid friendly version that ends up blowing more head than a whale blows water.

Captain Awesome

Peter,

Watch both GITS films, they're great. You'll realize all these goons attached to the 3D project won't do it justice.

That Tachikoma Spider-Tank scene in the museum in the first film still kicks ass till this day.

Floppy

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the GITS stories, but I particularly liked The Laughing Man story from GITS:SAC.

Agony

It would be cool to see this done correctly, but does anybody really think this won't just be some kind of Matrix or Aeon Flux retred? There's some really heady stuff in both original movies (especially the second one), but I'm willing to bet this will end up being a dumbed-down action flick. I'll stick with the originals, thanks.

Christopher Marc

I think as long as Spielberg doesn't direct it will be great! How he managed to make a Philip K. Dick property a PG-13 film blows my mind.

Captain Awesome

Agony,

That's pretty much exactly what I expect them to turn it into. The manga and the animated films really did go into a deep psychology of the characters and questioning their existence and what life means to them. The other problem are the general people tied to it. They're going to turn this into a PG-13 Beowulf mastubatory action film.

GITS on it's own is like Japan's Blade Runner. In terms of style? I don't see it happening either. Unless they get the perfect director and writer for this. But even then I'm being really optimistic.

The construction intro alone in the first GITS film is still one of my favorite animated pieces to date.

clarence somerset

Perfect vehicle for a proper live action anime. GITS has a great story, a magentic protagonist and stunning visuals. Hopefully this will pave the way to Evangelion.

Floppy

@ Christopher Marc

100% agree, Minority Report could have been so much better.

David

@clarence - omg evangelion. A well done movie adaption of that would make transformers just look silly, and i really liked the transformers movie. Evangelion is just on a whole different level though. Of course they would probably dumb it down. That's the thing about Japanese anime, they go so out there that you often times question the writer's sanity. (and in the case of some writer's like the one for hunter x hunter they really are insane...) Yet it's easy to get drawn in to the worlds they create, it's like the feeling you get when you arrive in a totally foreign country and you feel lost/awed. You (almost?) never get that feeling from big budget american movies and i don't see same intensity and wonderment being captured when being remade.

Captain Awesome

Evangelion could easily be done but it would need some editing. While I loved "most" of the series, there are tons of crap I could easily have cut out of it so most people could actually "get it" in film form.

A trilogy for something like Evangelion would be great. These types of projects like comics, need directors who give a shit about the material and ultimately respect it enough to evolve it into film. Most of the time they don't. It why we get these shit-ass versions most of the time.

I have never liked Spileberg's sci-fi. It's corny as hell and mind-numbingly boring. So I hope for the most part he doesn't touch something like this at all.

Christopher Marc

@ Captain Awesome

Have you seen the production artwork for the live action Evangelion film from Weta?...amazing stuff!..too bad nothing is being done with it so far...

Captain Awesome

Yes I have Chris,

And they're beautiful! It saddens me that project is just stting there in a vault somewhere in new Zealand.

I'm not even sure Weta does have a vault.

:(

clarence somerset

Though a massive Eva fan (to the extent of writing a pretty horrid live action script), I do think most of the stuff that makes Eva 'special' is a ton of rubbish. Still, it has supremely compelling characters and a cool vibe - not to mention the Evas themselves. Before ReBuild, I thought Eva's episodic nature didn't lend it well tp live action adaptation, but since ReBuild has compressed the series into proper films - why not live action?

WETA's designs are awesome!

Julio Biason

Hold a sec. It is a live action movie or a 3D movie?

Andrew

My God, that trailer was almost as bad as the movie. Way to overuse the dramatic voiceover past the brink of cheesiness. Ghost in the Shell 2 was waaayyy too metaphorical, bored the crap out of me.

The first movie and both seasons of the series, however, were awesome. Some of my favorite anime of all time Ã¢â‚¬â€œ I dig the mix of cyberpunk, war and politics. But this project reminds me of Aeon Flux, by which I mean: it will suck in live-action.

Andrew

Damn, Agony beat me to the Aeon Flux comparison. I concur.

GregoryV

GITS is such a smart, mature, sophisticate film. it needs a director who fair the same, to create a dark and gritty version of the future. i would love GITS to go through the same film style as minority report with blade runner-children of men atmosphere.

mase

what they should have done with the dragonball movie.

pete

Darren Aronofsky, get him for it, i believe he could bring something to the table.
It will be interesting to see how they treat this, heres for hoping!

GregoryV

Darren Aronofsky would be awesome.

i have two request-let it be shot outside the untied states and have Kenji Kawai create the hunting score.

cD

Can you have a 3D Live Action film? I would have thought you could have a 3D or a Live Action one, not both? It's possible I'm missing something though.

Pat

Ang Lee, he can do anything

WillTheSecond

"Can you have a 3D Live Action film? I would have thought you could have a 3D or a Live Action one, not both? ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s possible IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m missing something though."

It is both live action and 3D, the new stereoscopic camera developed by James Cameron & Co. have made that possible. They were used for that U2 3D film, and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, which isn't out yet, but as long as it's not crap I'll go and see it for the 3D. The real breakthrough 3D picture is gonna be Avatar, though.

Anyway, those could be good, if those producers don;t f*** it up. The reminds me that I'm yet to watch the originals, even though the look awesome.

clarence somerset

I read an anime magazine once that suggested Charlize Theron as Makoto, a great choice for me, if she hadn't done Aeon Flux already. A younger Ron Perlman could make a good Batou ... or an older Vin Diesel?

Rob

IMO it's not even a question of good or bad, it is just pointless. As others have pointed out, this kind of project further confirms the lack of ideas/unwillingness to use original material at major film studios. If these guys think it's so good - and they should do, because it is one of the handful of anime films that truly deserves it's rep - the only deal to be done should be the one that gets it re-released to cinemas, with suitably committed promotion. A remake/rehash is unnecessary.

krackajap

I particularly liked the scene where she went swimming in the first movie.

Sandalfon

I died a bit inside when I heard this. I see it as highly unlikely that Dreamworks will put out something true to the spirit of the series and movies.

And I guess cans any chance of a new animated series?

Or how "wide" are the rights dreamworks aquired?

Vander

I was only watching Solid State Society today actually and thinking that a Live GITS movie would be awesome.. If done propperly of course. for some reason the first director that came to mind was David Cronenberg, I think he would portray mans spiral into neural addiction and abuse so well as he melds science and grief so uniquely. Then Again Ridly Scott seems an obvious choice too.

Anno

Well, it does sound good to make the live-action film, but without knowledge of the Manga, & Anime verison of Ghost in the Shell, would you make a live action film?

DK

@Vander

Ridley Scott is the only director that came to mind, I think to be honest he's the only one that could pull it off. SPeaking of Ridley Scott, if Sigourney Weaver were younger (a la Alien) she could be well suited to play the Major; just think of the Major always in her little panties and Riply when she's changing into the space suit near the end of Alien. Plus she plays a tough female character well.

@Sandaflon.

I died a bit when I heard this too, I'd be absolutely devastatey if they fucked this up. All the adaptations of GITS have been epic, legendary, absolute master pieces....trust Hollywood to kill a good thing. One can only hope it is done well.

Knarfis

As much of a great fan that i am toward the original movies and anime series. I have been looking forward to getting a full length film. Who should direct it?? Well as cliche as this might sound, the persons that first came to mind is the Wachowski brothers. They are not afraid to take the time to tell the story. They will not over do the action or bore us with to much dialog. Others that come to mind is; James Cameron, Micheal Bay, and yeah i could see a Ridley Scott trying his hand at this because of this blade runner work. And to add, I like the idea of having Mamoru Oshii (original director of the first and second) anime movie, or Kenji Kamiyama (Stand alone complex fame). The biggest hurdle this file is going to have is the studio in charge. Will dream works give the OK for an R rating?? This file, its theme, its genera, and the people that know of this work are going to demand the intensity of the past stories which would call for an R rating. Will Dream works look past the fact that its going to be in animation but needs to be an R rating?? Guess we will see. Although im still not clear as to whether or not it is going to be in animation or not. This whole "live action 3D" doesn't make much sense. Are we going to get a Beaowulf 3D movie or a Spy kids 3D movie?? But back to what I was saying before. Right now it really doesnt matter who will be directing it, when u have such a large hurdle to cross, that being the studio.

Arisha

I am so looking forward to the Live Action Ghost in the Shell movie. Ghost in the Shell is one of my favorite animes. The only thing i wish is that it wasn't in 3D.

Avi

i would like to be excited, but, come on, hasn't america butchered enough great japanese flicks already?
they're going to completely ignore all the philosophy that made the series great, and make it some stupid film that revolves around nothing but action and technology.
*cries*

jack

for all of us ghost in the shell fans
please...
plaeasee don't

Shelley

We can only hope that they actually listen to the fans of GITS and make sure that is close to the films/tv show, by that i mean the depth that they have . Other wise it is going to to be pointless endevour.

Alex

Wouldn't it be great for the fans of certain shows or other cult followings had the power to choose who made these flicks! Because we're the ones that get to watch the product of their creation. Shouldn't we decide who's capable hands to put the project into? I really hope spielberg has a steady hand with this film, especially since he took such an interest in it.

Alex

.....i just watched that GitS "Innocence" Trailer and I have to say, when compared to the actual film.... That was probably the gayest minute and fourteen seconds I have ever seen.... I guess it was because Morgan Freeman was booked and couldn't do the voice over.

indubidebly

no hollywood is going to gang rape 1 of my favourite anime
LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!!

max.w

GITS 2 was horrible and I couldn't wait until it ended, all they did was just talk in quotes throughout the whole movie, it was a total mess. 2/10 - The 2 being the animation and sound only.

The series looks stupid and this time shes wearing a completely ridiculous outfit, I've seen the original about a million times now and think its one of the best animies of all time. But everything since then has been a total waste of time.

deafmute

You can't really compare the movies to the series, especially from the naive viewpoint of someone who hasn't even seen the series. The prejudice and blind ignorance of that statement just blows me away, especially from someone who claims to like the original film. It sounds to me like you have unconscious issues with self image, for you judge the series off of the the Major's "wardrobe" choice. What the hell is wrong with you? The predominant opinion about the GITS series in comparison to the movies is that the movies focus on the philosophical concepts and esoteric themes inherent in a society devoid of the control necessary to facilitate the marriage of man with technology. The series on the other hand is vital to the GITS universe, as it seems to concentrate on the emotional realm of the characters, and thus works to display how even though the majority of the shell squad are cybernetic, their humanity still reveals itself through their actions and desires. This advent of humanity through emotion galvanizes the viewer to aspire for hope in an otherwise grim future that Masamune Shirow masterfully creates. Do yourself a favor and watch the series, you don't know what you're missing. In all of the anime that I've watched over the years, (and believe me it's a long list) the GITS series has some of the most compelling use of emotion and storytelling in any series I've had the pleasure of seeing.

Cobalt

They are going to mess up this adaptation so bad. Lets look at the track record of good anime turned into bad live action movies: Fist of the North Star, Guyver, Speed Racer, and Dragon Ball all terrible. Jamie Moss is going to find a way to take dump all over this masterpiece. You better Believe that.

Seiei

I have followed GITS for a long time and I would love to see a live action movie portrayed. However I do concur that Hollywood has a past of ruining these great anime classics. One of the best things about GITS is its complex storyline. Delving into this fictional world of cybernetics, politics and terrorismwill need to be the mainstay of the film. The plot needs to be thought provoking so that the viewer will question their own reality just like I did when I first saw the Matrix. The director should stick with the original concept as much as possible.

As for who would be best suited to play the Major, Angelina Jolie came to mind but I think I would perfer Jennifer Garner or Zoe Bell.

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