At this point, Scarlett Johansson has more than proved herself in the action arena with films like AVENGERS and LUCY, all while delivering the dramatic goods in pictures like HER and UNDER THE SKIN. If you ask me, that makes her ripe for the lead role in the live-action GHOST IN THE SHELL film to be directed by RUPERT SANDERS (SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN). We had reported back in October that Johannson was offered the lead and fortunately for us, it looks like the dotted line has been signed. For those unfamiliar, the story follows that of a cyborg heroine (Johansson) who's tasked to hunt down a hacker known as The Puppet Master, only to be caught in a web of political intrigue.
I know people are pretty iffy about live-action iterations of popular anime, but Johansson is a phenomenally charismatic actor who will no doubt carry the film with flying colors. As for director Rupert Sanders, he proved he has an eye for visual aesthetics, so perhaps a pairing with the right story will yield some fantastic results. In any case, now that the lead has been nailed (so to speak), the rest of the cast shouldn't be too far behind.
Rupert Sanders' GHOST IN THE SHELL will shoot sometime in 2015.