In development for some time, the live-action adaptation of Ghost In The Shell is at long last accruing its cast. Alas, during pre-production the movie has received criticism for its lack of diversity – which is considerable as the source material is a much-revered piece of Japanese anime.
With that in mind, you might view this latest casting announcement as a way of rectifying that blunder, as Variety reports that Beat Takeshi will take a supporting role in the film.
The actor is set to appear as Daisuke Aramaki, chief of Public Security Section 9, and the boss of Scarlett Johansson’s cyborg cop. The decision to install such a high-profile Japanese filmmaker and actor in the key role of Aramaki is certainly a step in the right direction to diversifying the cast. In addition to Johansson, who snagged the lead a while back, Boardwalk Empire‘s Michael Pitt nabbed the part of chief villain, with Game of Thrones’ Pilou Asbaek tackling the role of his second-in-command.
Directed by Rupert Sanders from a script by Bill Wheeler, Ghost In The Shell is targeting a March 31, 2017 release date.