Despite reports to the contrary, Rupert Sanders’ live-action Ghost in the Shell movie remains on course for its March 2017 bow, but rather than Disney helping to shepherd the long-awaited manga adaptation to the big screen, Variety writes that Paramount has now picked up the project and will co-finance.
Indeed, Sanders’ sci-fi picture isn’t the only feature to be affected by the new distribution deal, with fellow adaptation The Girl on the Train also set to be released through Paramount, which also keeps hold of its original release date of October 7, 2016.
Thrusting Under the Skin star Scarlett Johansson into the lead role as Motoko Kusanag – squad leader of the elite Public Security Section 9 – Ghost in the Shell brings the fictional metropolis of Niihama to life in all of its neon-drenched glory. Last we reported, Maleficent star Sam Riley had emerged as an early frontrunner to nab the coveted role of the film’s chief villain, The Laughing Man, which would see him join a growing ensemble that currently boasts Game of Thrones newcomer Pilou Asbæk.
Behind the lens, Snow White and the Huntsman‘s helmer Sanders takes point in the director’s chair, moulding a vision via Jonathan Herman’s (Straight Outta Compton) screenplay. Avi Arad and Steven Paul are producing on behalf of Paramount, flanked by a producing team that also includes Michael Costigan, Jeffrey Silver, Tetsu Fujimura and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa.
At the time of writing, Scarlett Johansson will return to the sci-fi genre when Ghost in the Shell opens on March 31, 2017. Tate Taylor’s The Girl on the Train, on the other hand, remains on course for its planned release in October of this year.