Ghost In The Shell

Given the success last year of Alex Garland’s EX MACHINA, which gave Alicia Vikander additional success following her Oscar-winning performance in THE DANISH GIRL, A.I. Sci-fi appears to have found its way back into the current vogue.

Film and TV Now were invited, alongside other journalists, to the Cineworld Leicester Square IMPACT screen by Paramount Pictures to an exclusive 15-minute promo clip of the new Scarlett Johansson action film, GHOST IN THE SHELL, ahead of it’s release at the end of the month. The new film continues a tradition of Cyber Punk / virtual sci-fi films proven with the likes of THE MATRIX, MINORITY REPORT, TRON: LEGACY and THE LAWNMOWER MAN.

Based on the acclaimed Manga original, GHOST IN THE SHELL chronicles the tale of The Major (Johansson), the victim of an accident who has been turned into part-cyborg by a corporation and now is being used as a weapon to thwart cyber hackers and suchlike as the head of a task force called Section 9.

Rupert Sanders helms the film, somebody who is no stranger to spectacle following SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (2012 and Johansson has already proved her pedigree in this type of material thanks to her ongoing role as Black Widow in the Marvel series of AVENGERS films. Rounding out the lead cast are Gabriel Byrne and Juliette Binoche, both competent actors in their own right and who have appeared in action-based content with the likes of THE ASSASSIN (AKA ‘POINT OF NO RETURN’, a remake of LA FEMME NIKITA) and GODZILLA amongst others.

As to the footage presented by the Distributor, following a personal introduction by Scarlett Johansson, we got a glimpse of Johansson being created in a MINORITY REPORT type tank and an extended clip of one of the key action sequences in a building, which at first glance was reminiscent of a sequence in THE DARK KNIGHT (2008). The promo rounded out with footage from a trailer.

It certainly did whet the appetite for the audience and the intended fan-base and there will be undoubtedly more interest when the film opens.

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Film and TV Journalist Follow: @Higgins99John Follow: @filmandtvnow