Ghost in the Shell: Live-Action Movie

[Munsu]

Just saw this news on animenewsnetwork, and looking forward to it. If done right, it should be a great film.


Animation company Production I.G has received permission from Kodansha to act as an agent to develop a live-action film with a Hollywood studio based on Ghost in the Shell.

Negotiations with American entertainment companies have not been a strong point for Japanese Anime and Film studios in the past. However, hopes are high that a project involving Ghost in the Shell would be more successful due to the significant number of people in the American film business who are fans of the series. The size of the North American fanbase for Ghost in the Shell is also a factor.

As the producers of the original Ghost in the Shell manga by Shirow Masamune, Kodansha still retains rights to the series. Production I.G. produced the feature length anime films Ghost in the Shell and Innocence: Ghost in the Shell, as well as the Stand Alone Complex TV Series. According to the new contract with Kodansha, Production I.G. will represent the creators of the original work and other involved parties in negotiations for distribution of the Live-Action Ghost in the Shell and all other activities involved with production of the film.

Production I.G. is already accustomed to working with major film and TV companies in North America. The studio negotiated directly with major film company DreamWorks for distribution of Innocence and is producing the series IGPX with Cartoon Network. Since the popularity of Ghost in the Shell in North America was a result of the anime produced by Production I.G., many are hopeful that a live-action film supported by the company will experience a similar level of success.

http://animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-01-18/production-i.g-enters-negotiations-for-live-action-ghost-in-the-shell

[knifecrew]

Indeed, if it's done right, it would be pretty intense. I'm a little wary of turning an anime into a live-action, then again I haven't exactly seen too many of those. But y'never know. I'll see it either way.

[Death13a]

I realy looking forward to this and i have high hopes that they won't screw up with many fans.
I wander will they do part from Series timeline/ movie timeline or they will do they own.

[David75]

I hope this will be really good.

I wonder if there has been a live action movie that was good in the past?

If you have examples, I'd like to know, but the few thries I had, I was deeived.

[ktchris69]

It wud be good if the movie turns out as good as the anime and that the one playing motoko is hawt! lolz

[Kraco]

It obviously strongly depends on the script, director and actors (and budget). What I really hope is that they do choose a good director and not one that can only direct action. GITS is much more than plain fighting, after all.

[Yukimura]

While a GitS movie seems like a cool idea, would it be the exact same as the anime but live (not particularly interesting) or would they take license and add some random stuff into the story to make it new and different (very likely to piss people off). Additionally I don't think the acrobatics and stuff that Motoko performs would look nearly as good with a wire system, which means CGI, which means 1) we're essentially back at an anime and 2) more money. I fear for this one, but I'll probably go see it anyway if it actually happens.

[Munsu]

I'm pretty sure that James Cameron has some people working on some sick technologies in order for him to do Battle Angel Alita, so if he's able to accomplish that Ghost in the Shell shouldn't be that much of a stretch.

[Ryllharu]

It may actually be less of a stretch. For Battle Angel, James Cameron needs to do a ton of work to get the Motorball portion of the film (since that was what the project was introduced as when he first announced it, I'm assuming it still goes that far), and with the lead character being entirely CG.

The powered armor and the battle tanks in Ghost in the Shell; equipment to pull these off has been around since James Cameron brought us the first Terminator movie. Remember the opening battle scene in that? With the past 20 years of technological advances, it's really not that hard to pull off cyborgs and the other technology in GiTS. Think how easy it is for modern cinema to pull off the thermaloptic camo, they've been doing things like that for decades.

As long as the budget is good enough to make a couple good robot/puppets/animatrons and a little CG here and there for the camo and maybe Net Dives, a live action GiTS could be an excellent adaptation of the original film.

[Munsu]

As long as they don't make the movie cheesy, it should be a good one.

[tnynyn]

ohh excellent, i love gits, but i think its going to be based on the first movie?? since doing it from a series would be confusing for alot of people who doesnt know about gits. i wonder who they're going to cast as motoko....im thinking jessica alba :D

[knifecrew]

Ugh. If they get A-list actors (especially bad ones like Jessica Alba) I'm going to completely forget about seeing it.

It never works (IMO).

[Ryllharu]

Maybe they'll even find a *gasp* Asian actress. Asian's are horribly underrepresented in American cinema, and I can't really think of Motoko as any other descent.

I'm all for lesser known actors, or famous foreign ones (that Americans like me don't know).

[tnynyn]

Ugh. If they get A-list actors (especially bad ones like Jessica Alba) I'm going to completely forget about seeing it.

It never works (IMO).


Even if she is a bad actor, i think she would look good as motoko. But if they do use asian actors, then maybe lucy liu or kelly hu would do the job. cant wait to see whos going to play saitou (sp?) , hes my fav character, especially in the poker face ep

[Munsu]

More info:

January 26, 2007

Production I.G, Inc. has finalized with Kodansha Ltd. an agent agreement to represent the live-action rights for the property Ghost in the Shell, of which Kodansha Ltd. owns the exploitation rights to the original work.

Read more about it:
http://www.productionig.com/contents/news/2007/01/ig_represents_g.html

[NeoBear]

Even if she is a bad actor, i think she would look good as motoko. But if they do use asian actors, then maybe lucy liu or kelly hu would do the job. cant wait to see whos going to play saitou (sp?) , hes my fav character, especially in the poker face ep

holy $hit you hit the nail right on the head Lucy Liu would be perfect i love her more then the air i breath =)

[knifecrew]

I hate it when they pick actors who "look" the part, but aren't really suited for the actual character in other aspects. It completely ruins a film and wastes my excitement on wanting to see it. I want to see actors who suit the personality. They can always give them costumes and makeup/special effects for the material facet.

[Edort4]

I can't really see Motoko being one of charlie's angels. I hope they get some new face that can do the job.

[Munsu]

I was watching the UK TV Show "Hex" the other day, I think one of their leads might be able to handle it, Laura Pyper

http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-13,GGLD:en&q=Laura%20Pyper&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

[knifecrew]

New faces are always good, especially when you find out they actually have talent. This is what I'd like to see done for GITS.

[XanBcoo]

Going off the comments from ANN, I'd love to see either Ridley Scott or Jerry Bruckheimer directing this movie. They both have a style that would work well within the GITS universe. Hell, even the Wachowski Bros. wouldn't be a bad idea.

I'm also extremely curious as to who would play Motoko. Personally I think Lucy Lui would be an absolutely terrible choice. But that's just me.

cant wait to see whos going to play saitou (sp?) , hes my fav character, especially in the poker face ep
Heh, that's my favorite 2nd Gig ep.

[knifecrew]

I think I'm most curious about who would play Batou. A few names come to mind, but I'm on dial up right now (unfortunately) and I don't feel like taking an hour to search for them.