'Ghost in the Shell' Release Date, News: New Trailer Released

By Edward Leano, Christian Post Contributor Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The live-action adaptation "Ghost in the Shell" is set to hit the theaters on March 21. Paramount Pictures has put out an official trailer that goes over the movie's story.

Whereas the previous teasers were mostly focused on the visuals of the upcoming movie, this time the trailer reveals a good bit of information on The Major's background, and overall, a better sense of the story. The main antagonist of the film, the cyborg Kuze, is also revealed for the first time.

"Ghost in the Shell" is based on the globally acclaimed Japanese media franchise of the same name. Originally in the form of an illustrated manga, the series was written and drawn by creator Masamune Shirow. Several anime adaptations of the manga series have been produced, starting in 1995.

The original story, set in mid-21st century Japan, follows the counter-cyberterrorist organization Section 9 led by Major Motoko Kusanagi. Set in a post-cyberpunk setting in the fictional city of Niihama, the story focuses on the effects of advanced cybernetic technology on society. The main character, Major, is one such cyborg — one that possesses an almost fully mechanized body.

The casting of the "Ghost in the Shell" Hollywood remake has stirred up a good amount of controversy for the choice of Scarlett Johannson as The Major. In the source material, The Major is also known as Motoko Kusanagi, and some have raised their objection that the production has been "white-washing" the Asian characters in the story.

British director Rupert Sanders has recently answered the issue during an interview at a Tokyo event. "To me, you know, I cast very much from the gut and I think I was very lucky to be able to get an amazing international cast of people that I've always really wanted to work with," he said.

The previous film directed by Sanders, "Snow White and the Huntsman," was also mired in casting controversy for using full-size actors to represent the dwarves.

Watch the official trailer for Paramount Pictures' "Ghost in the Shell" below.