Ghost in the Shell (2017 film)

Ghost in the Shell is a 2017 cyberpunk action film directed by Rupert Sanders and written by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler, and Ehren Kruger. It is the first live-action movie based on the Japanese Ghost in the Shell franchise envisioned by Masamune Shirow, and stars Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, Michael Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, Chin Han, and Juliette Binoche. Set in a near future when the line between humans and robots is blurring, the story follows Major Mira Killian (Johansson), a cyborg supersoldier who investigates her past.

Filming for Ghost in the Shell took place in New Zealand at Stone Street Studios from February to June 2016, with additional filming in Hong Kong that June. The film premiered in Tokyo on March 16, 2017, and was released in the United States on March 31, 2017, in IMAX, 3D, IMAX 3D, and 4DX. It grossed $169.8 million worldwide against a production budget of $110 million, and lost at least $60 million (with more than $100 million being a possibility due to a disputed budget). On home media, however, the film debuted at number two.

Ghost in the Shell received mixed reviews, with praise for its cast performances, visual style, action sequences, cinematography and musical score, but criticism for its plot and lack of character development. The casting of non-Asian actors (particularly Johansson in the lead role) drew accusations of racism and whitewashing in the United States, although Mamoru Oshii, the director of the original anime, stated that there was no basis for this accusation.

Plot

In the near future, humans are augmented with cybernetic improvements such as vision, strength and intelligence. Augmentation developer Hanka Robotics establishes a secret project to develop an artificial body, or "shell", that can integrate a human brain rather than an AI. Mira Killian, the sole survivor of a cyberterrorist attack which killed her parents, is chosen as the test subject after her body is damaged beyond repair. Over the objections of her designer Dr. Ouelet, Hanka Robotics CEO, Cutter, decides to use Killian as a counter-terrorism operative.

A year later, Killian has attained the rank of Major in the counter-terrorism bureau Section 9, working alongside operatives Batou and Togusa under Chief Daisuke Aramaki. Killian, who experiences hallucinations that Ouelet dismisses as glitches, is troubled as she doesn't clearly remember her past. The team thwarts a terrorist attack on a Hanka business conference, and Killian destroys a robotic geisha after the robot kills a hostage. After learning that the geisha was hacked by an unknown entity known as Kuze, Killian breaks protocol and "dives" into its AI for answers. The entity attempts a counter-hack, and Batou is forced to disconnect her. They trace the hacker to a yakuza nightclub, where they are lured into a trap. An explosion destroys Batou's eyes and damages Killian's body. Cutter is enraged by Killian's actions, and threatens to have Section 9 shut down unless Aramaki keeps her in line.

Kuze tracks down Section 9's Hanka consultant, Dr. Dahlin, and kills her. The team links her murder to the deaths of other senior company researchers and realize that Ouelet is the next target. Kuze takes control of two sanitation workers and sends them to kill Ouelet. Now with cybernetic eyes, Batou kills one while the repaired Killian subdues the other. While they interrogate the worker, Kuze speaks through him before compelling him to commit suicide. Togusa traces the hack to a secret location, where the team discovers a large number of humans mentally linked as a makeshift signal network. Killian is captured and Kuze reveals himself as a failed Hanka test subject from the same project that created Killian, where he urges her to question her own memories and to stop taking her medication as it actually helps to block her memories. Kuze then frees her and escapes.

Killian confronts Ouelet, who admits that 98 test subjects died before Killian, and that her memories are implanted. Cutter has decided that Killian is a liability and orders Ouelet to kill her after she returns to Hanka Robotics. Instead, Ouelet gives Killian an address and helps her escape. Cutter kills Ouelet, but blames Killian, saying that she has gone rogue. He informs Aramaki and the team that Killian must be terminated. Killian follows the address to an apartment occupied by a widowed mother, who reveals that her daughter Motoko Kusanagi ran away from home a year ago and was arrested; while in custody, Motoko "took her own life." Killian leaves and contacts Aramaki, who allows Cutter to remotely eavesdrop on their conversation.

Batou, Togusa and Aramaki eliminate Cutter's men trying to ambush them, while Killian follows her memories to the hideaway where Motoko was last seen. She and Kuze meet and recall their past lives as anti-augmentation radicals who were abducted by Hanka as test subjects. Cutter deploys a "spider-tank" to kill them. Kuze nearly dies before Killian is able to tear out the tank's Motor Control Center, losing an arm in the process. Mortally wounded, Kuze asks Killian to join him in leaving this world, but Killian refuses and tells Kuze that he will always be with her in her ghost then fades out. A Hanka sniper kills him. Batou and the team rescue Killian, while Aramaki executes Cutter with Killian's consent. The next day, now repaired and embracing her true identity as the Japanese Motoko, Killian reconnects with her mother and returns to work with Section 9.

Cast

In the Japanese dub, Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ōtsuka and Kōichi Yamadera reprise the roles they played in the Mamoru Oshii films and the Stand Alone Complex television series.

Production

In 2008, DreamWorks Pictures (who had handled U.S. theatrical distribution of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence through its Go Fish Pictures banner) and Steven Spielberg acquired the rights to produce a live-action film adaptation of the original manga. Avi Arad and Steven Paul were later confirmed as producers, with Jamie Moss set to write the screenplay. In October 2009, it was announced that Laeta Kalogridis had replaced Moss as writer. On January 24, 2014, it was reported that Rupert Sanders would direct the film, with the screenplay now written by William Wheeler. Wheeler worked on the script for approximately a year and a half, later saying, "It's a vast enterprise. I think I was second or third in the mix, and I know there have been at least six or seven writers." Jonathan Herman also worked on the screenplay. Ultimately, credit for the screenplay was given to Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger.

On September 3, 2014, Margot Robbie was reported as being in early talks for the lead role. On October 16, it was announced that DreamWorks had made a $10 million offer to Scarlett Johansson for the lead role, after Robbie had chosen to play Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, which is another live-action film adaptation of a comic book. In May 2015, Paramount Pictures agreed to co-produce and co-finance the film. On November 10, 2015, Pilou Asbæk was cast in the role of Batou. According to TheWrap, Matthias Schoenaerts was previously circling the role that went to Asbæk. On November 19, 2015, it was reported that Sam Riley was in early talks to play the villain role Kuze, leader of dangerous criminals and extremists, though on February 4, 2016, Variety reported that Michael Pitt had entered talks for the role. On March 3, 2016, TheWrap reported that Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano had been cast as Daisuke Aramaki, the founder and leader of the elite unit Section 9, tasked with protecting the world from the most dangerous technological threats.

In April 2016, the full cast was announced, including Juliette Binoche, Chin Han, Lasarus Ratuere and Kaori Momoi. In May 2016, Rila Fukushima was cast in a role. Filming wrapped in New Zealand on June 3, 2016. Filming also took place in the Yau Ma Tei and Jordan areas of Hong Kong, around Pak Hoi Street and Woosung Street on June 7, 8 and 10 or 14–16. The score was recorded at Synchron Stage Vienna in Austria.

Release

Ghost in the Shell was originally scheduled for release on April 14, 2017, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through their Touchstone Pictures banner. The film was part of DreamWorks' distribution deal with the Walt Disney Studios, which began in 2009. In April 2015, Disney moved the film's North American release date to March 31, 2017, with Paramount Pictures handling international distribution. However, it was reported in September 2015 that DreamWorks and Disney would not renew their distribution deal, which was set to expire in August 2016. In January 2016, Disney dropped the film from its slate after DreamWorks finalized their distribution deal with Universal Pictures, via their new parent company Amblin Partners, in December 2015. Disney's distribution rights for the film were transferred completely to Paramount instead of Universal, with Paramount retaining Disney's release date of March 31, 2017. The film was not screened for critics before its release.