Scarlett Johansson Set For Live-Action Ghost In The Shell?

Apparently Scarlett Johansson is about to replace the rumoured Margot Robbie as the leading female in the live-action version of ‘Ghost in the Shell’.

Deadline revealed that after the ‘The Wolf of Wallstreet’ star was all but set to appear in an adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s classic sci-fi anime, she’s now alleged to be signing for to the new ‘Suicide Squad’ movie, after DC’s announcements earlier this week.

However, all is not lost, because Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow in ‘Avengers Assemble’) is reported to have been offered the role with a $10 million wage packet.

Set in 2029, the plot of ‘Ghost in the Shell’ focuses on a female cyborg cop who, along with her partner, set out to hunt a dangerous hacker known as the Puppet Master.

Since Johansson’s move to action roles such as her numerous Marvel outings and, most recently, for Luc Besson’s bonkers adrenaline rush ‘Lucy’, it seems the actress, 29, is in more demand for these types of movies.

Oshii’s 1995 anime has just had its first ever High Definition Blu-ray release, so with the massive interest in that and, of course, the possibility of a live-action version, it’d perhaps be an interesting role for Johansson to take in comparison to the mainstream parts she’s had in recent years.

'Ghost in the Shell' was originally a manga published in 1989 by illustrator Masamune Shirow, by the Japanese title, 'Kōkaku Kidōtai' literally translating as 'Mobile Armoured Riot Police'. 

The film was since picked up by DreamWorks and Steven Spielberg back in 2008, but there was little talk of it until recently, when it was reported that Rupert Sanders (‘Snow White and the Huntsman’) was to direct, with William Wheeler on scriptwriting duties.

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Picture credits: WENN, Production I.G.