Paramount Pictures To Co-finance Scarlett Johansson’s GHOST IN THE SHELL

Paramount has come on board to co-finance and co-produce action vehicle “Ghost in the Shell,” starring Scarlett Johansson, with DreamWorks, Variety has learned.

Under the deal, Paramount will handle the international release of “Ghost in the Shell” while DreamWorks will release the movie through its output deal with Disney on March 31, 2017.

It was reported on Jan. 5 that Johansson was set to star in DreamWorks’ adaptation of the popular anime title, with Paramount having the option to co-finance and co-produce.

The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime. During last month’s press day for “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Johansson told Collider.com that director Rupert Sanders was expected to begin shooting early next year.

Avi Arad and Steven Paul are producing “Ghost in Shell” from a script by Bill Wheeler. Mark Sourian is exec producing.

Besides starring in “Ultron,” Johansson showed her box office clout as an action star with last year’s “Lucy,” which grossed $458 million worldwide.

Fox is co-financing DreamWorks’ Cold War thriller “Bridge of Spies,” starring Tom Hanks, with Steven Spielberg directing. Disney and Walden Media are co-financing DreamWorks’ “The BFG,” which Spielberg has been shooting in Vancouver.

Source: Variety 

GHOST IN THE SHELL Release Date Moved

Disney has moved up the release date of Ghost in the Shell by two weeks. The live action adaptation of the 1995 anime movie will now release on March 31, 2017.

The move was likely made to avoid opening on the same week as Furious 8, now slated for released on April 14, 2017.

Ghost in the Shell will star Scarlett Johansson with Snow White and the Huntsman helmer Rupert Sanders directing, and is based on Masamune Shirow’s cyberpunk, near-future stories. Ghost in the Shell follows Section 9, a branch of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission tasked with fighting cybercrime and cyberterrorism, led in the field by Commander Motoko Kusanagi.

Ghost in the Shell begins production in early 2016.

Scarlett Johansson Offers GHOST IN THE SHELL Movie Update

Scarlett Johansson is one of the most prominent actress in Hollywood, not only proving successful as Black Widow in the Marvel films, but also as the lead of last year’s original actioner Lucy. It was not surprise, then, when DreamWorks tapped the actress to lead its action-centric Ghost in the Shell movie, based on the manga/anime of the same name.

Johansson officially signed on to star this past January with Snow White and the Huntsman helmer Rupert Sanders directing, and so when Collider sat down with the actress at the Avengers: Age of Ultron press day, they asked for an update on the project:

“It’s happening. It will be shooting the beginning of next year, so I think we start production January or February and it’s me and Rupert [Sanders]; and that’s all I know.”

The studio has been developing a live-action iteration of the property for nearly six years now, so this is the closest it’s come to actually happening. And according to Johansson, if all goes according to plan, cameras will be rolling on the new Ghost in the Shell movie by this time next year.

Source: Collider

GHOST IN THE SHELL: Scarlett Johansson To Star As Lead Role

It has now been confirmed that Avengers: Age of Ultron and Lucy star Scarlett Johansson has signed on to star in Ghost in the Shell, the upcoming Japanese anime adaptation helmed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman).

Variety reveals that the Captain America: The Winter Soldier actress will take on the lead role in Ghost in the Shell. We heard last year that she had received an offer and that Suicide Squad’s Margot Robbie was in talks, but it is only now that Johansson has agreed to star.

The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime. Rupert Sanders is on board to direct, and the script was penned by Bill Wheeler. Avi Arad and Steven Paul will produce, with Dreamworks and Steve Spielberg overseeing the adaptation.