In April 2008 Variety reported that DreamWorks secured the rights to develop a 3D live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Steven Spielberg’s involvement helped DreamWorks to win, while both Sony and Universal were eager to acquire the rights for a live adaptation. Spielberg commented: “ ‘Ghost in the Shell’ is one of my favorite stories. It's a genre that has arrived, and we enthusiastically welcome it to DreamWorks.” Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul of Seaside Entertainment were announced as producers. Jamie Moss was hired as the script writer.
This initial information provoked a lively reaction. It is often asserted that Spielberg will direct a live adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 Ghost in the Shell anime film with Jamie Moss who will write the adaptation. However, by now, nothing is true in this assertion.
First off, Jamie Moss, whose only work was the screenplay for Street Kings, is not writing for the live adaptation of Ghost in the Shell any more. In October 2009 it was reported that DeamWorks assigned this task to Laeta Kalogridis, who adapted Shutter Island for Martin Scorcese. Other adaptations of Ms. Kalogridis include Alexander by Oliver Stone and Pathfinder by Marcus Nispel. She was also an executive producer of James Cameron’s Avatar and is rumored to write for Cameron’s next possible project, the adaptation of the manga Battle Angel Alita (a story about a female cyborg, too). As for the director of the GitS live action movie, he or she has not been yet announced. However, Spielberg is not named any more.
Second, not Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 anime is being adapted, but the original Masamune Shirow 1989 manga, as Laeta Kalogridis clearly stated in her interviews (here and here). She also said that the live adaptation has “a lot of action… lots of action.”
So Hollywood is going to compete for a best manga adaptation. Like stated above, Twentieth Century Fox adapts Battle Angel. Warner Brothers adapts Akira with Leonardo DiCaprio. DreamWorks adapts Ghost in the Shell. Are they going to do it the right way? Are they really able to retain all subtleties and undertones? Feel free to express your opinion in the comments.
This initial information provoked a lively reaction. It is often asserted that Spielberg will direct a live adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 Ghost in the Shell anime film with Jamie Moss who will write the adaptation. However, by now, nothing is true in this assertion.
First off, Jamie Moss, whose only work was the screenplay for Street Kings, is not writing for the live adaptation of Ghost in the Shell any more. In October 2009 it was reported that DeamWorks assigned this task to Laeta Kalogridis, who adapted Shutter Island for Martin Scorcese. Other adaptations of Ms. Kalogridis include Alexander by Oliver Stone and Pathfinder by Marcus Nispel. She was also an executive producer of James Cameron’s Avatar and is rumored to write for Cameron’s next possible project, the adaptation of the manga Battle Angel Alita (a story about a female cyborg, too). As for the director of the GitS live action movie, he or she has not been yet announced. However, Spielberg is not named any more.
Second, not Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 anime is being adapted, but the original Masamune Shirow 1989 manga, as Laeta Kalogridis clearly stated in her interviews (here and here). She also said that the live adaptation has “a lot of action… lots of action.”
So Hollywood is going to compete for a best manga adaptation. Like stated above, Twentieth Century Fox adapts Battle Angel. Warner Brothers adapts Akira with Leonardo DiCaprio. DreamWorks adapts Ghost in the Shell. Are they going to do it the right way? Are they really able to retain all subtleties and undertones? Feel free to express your opinion in the comments.
maybe its just me...(and im sure it is....), but they could have picked someone else other then Leonardo Dicaprio. he's a good actor, but i just don't see him in this movie.
ReplyDeleteI have little if no faith in them to make these amazing classics into Solid Live action adaptations. They are also doing Cowboy Bebop starring Keanu Reeves...
ReplyDeleteI can only hope they do not mess this up, as the GITS and manga have so much to them, and on many levels. The live action 3D GITS was slated for 2011 release date, but I think that will be pushed back some. Akira is slated for 2013 release date, which is another one I like. But de caprio owning the right's to Akira and ninja scrolls does not give me as much hope for those remakes. What happened to good original stuff from hollywood? Most the stuff they push out now is garbage remakes of good classics. I do give credit to spielberg for being one of the few to actually be able to pull it off, But I don't trust the writers so far for the GITS. GITS worked on so many levels, and balanced out the action with great history, philosophy, action, and a great forward look to a future dystopia like emersion. With lot's of japanese culture all threw it. I'm surprised they haven't announced a vexile or apple seed movie with the slue of others they are doing. The robo tech I kind of think they could do, as it is like transformers in a way. Though I personally didn't like the transformers movies hollywood did. Please let the GITS 3D be good out of all of the remakes they are doing. Also I hope they don't americanize it to much. Oh well just my relative perspective on the topic I love so much. Oh and P.S. the contract for a 3rd season of the T.V. series of GITS has been done, with stipulation on how the movie goes, and the T.V. series would be from the original GITS committee from japan.
ReplyDeleteI think that a Star Blazers, aka Space Battleship Yamato, would lend itself perfectly for a live action film, especially the third season with the Bolar wars (okay, I'm dating myself).
ReplyDeleteman thier going to kill these series really bad if they do then especially my favs which are akira and gits(i sjut cant see gits live action by dreamworks its gonna be rated g no cool motoko fight scenes :( )
ReplyDeleteI hate Hollywood when it comes to Japanese live-adaption =.=' They put some Americans in it, feel free to change the name/gender, show off some cool legend tales with guns and bombs and thrills and actions....you know,try to pretend to be so cool, but I don't see any value in it. Music rises when hero returns/shows up or locked-lips scenes,such some limited trick they have in stored .Some is fine, but Almost every part of the original is destroyed!And I hate it when it comes after GITS! Matrix, which pretended to be US look-a-like GITS, is one of Wachowskis' sucked work, now they even try to destroy the original too! I see that all they want is to be American know-it-all, try-it-all with that standard of technology =.=' Oh Please let the imagination free! When you try to make it more real, you stick with that created new of yours, and it remains there in people's mind forever! No one care to freely imagine any more! GITS is a free world, which shouldn't be limited by live scene =.=' Choose a Major wrong, and kaboom ! Another disaster like Dragon Balls =.= Just Some of my negative thought. I just have a thought that they will make it for commercial gain, and nothing more.Such act is enough to destroy GITS.=.=
ReplyDeleteI have faith.
ReplyDeleteWith the CG advances pioneered by JAmes Cameron, I believe a good (if not great) live action version of GITS can be made, with a good director and proper actors. While many of the comic book/manga series a total failure, some (mainly movies like Spiderman, X Men, Bat Man etc.) can be well done. If Spielburg could team up with some of Cameron's people, the movie could be another blockbuster since there are many GITS fans, young and old.
ReplyDeleteHow about Noomi Rapace as Motoko Kusanagi... She'd need a boob job... But she could pull it off.
ReplyDeleteHow about NO?
ReplyDeleteHoly crap. Noomi would be awesome as Motoko.
ReplyDeleteI think it's doubtful that they will be truly capture all the subtlies of GitS. They couldn't even capture them very well in the X-men films, and the depth of the subtlies in the X-men comics, compared to GitS (in any medium), is like comparing the depth of a puddle to a pond.
ReplyDeleteThat being said as long as they don't completely rewrite canon (ala all the X-men movies), then they should be able to make something at least passable that we the fans can enjoy even without every nuance included (provided they get the casting right)
just sayin'
ReplyDelete-ghost in the shell is set in japan!
-where 90% of characters are japanese!
-with links to traditonal japanese culture and religion!
-with strong message against american oppression!
making holywood movie from this is beyond my imagination...
+1
ReplyDeletemaybe Motoko is a marine in Irak
maybe Motoko is performed by Britney Spears
perhaps Ridley Scott could do it
No western actors please, not even an extra will be forgiven...
ReplyDeleteI simply do not appreciate the fact that-as a die-hard fan of the series, I'm going to be thrown into (along with others like myself), a massive pool of blockbuster idiocy. Right now I've not many friends that know anything about the series- let alone the fact that it even exists. As soon as it becomes yet another mainstream hit, Ghost in the Shell isn't going to be nearly as personal as it is now. It's going to become a simple matter of profit and whether or not it is good or bad... The entire story and love of the characters will be diluted and that's not fair to those of us that are so passionate about it.
ReplyDeleteI have said more than once that I believe Charlize Theron is the logical choice for the Major, based originally on her performance in Aeon Flux, which gave her great SciFi cred. But her big "coming out" in both Prometheus and Snow White almost simultaneously has only reinforced my belief. (What a coincidence that Noomi Rapace, mentioned above, is also in Prometheus.) Theron's appearance in GitS would give it a PR boost that could only help.
ReplyDeleteThey Better hope pray they dont screw those anime classics up. As for GITS hope for Ridley Scott to direct and James Cameron for the effects cant go wrong thier. Same for Akira that'll give us the right feel of sci-fi and special effects that both these titles simply DEMAND. As for the others best of luck. Blood The Last Vampire did not turn out too badly to be honest, they could have dont a helluva lot worse. But the biggest issue is not the director or the effects. but who will play who? GITS is prime example, cast who as The Major? Cause Animie is Anime because of the characters and especially the way its drawn. But this i will tell you if they do flop which is a BIG possibility, the strength of the Manga and the Anime will never be hindered, however a live action movie is provocative food for thought
ReplyDeleteAn adaption of GitS, Akira, and Battle Angel: Alita. .-. Are you fer real. Omg. Please don't screw this up ppl.
ReplyDeleteWe all know the Cowboy Bebop adaption in no way will be as great as the anime...Keannu Reeves.