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GHOST IN THE SHELL: STAND ALONE COMPLEX 2nd Gig Volume 3
© Manga/Bandai/Anchor Bay

Live-action "Ghost in the Shell"?

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Monday, January 22, 2007
Source: Variety

According to Variety, Production I.G. has acquired the rights to the animated Ghost in the Shell and plans to re-make it into a live action film.

Production I.G was responsible for the animated Ghost in the Shell that appeared in 1995 as well as the follow-up, Innocence, and the animated TV series.

KJ's Take: I am a mediocre anime fan and Ghost in the Shell was one of the first anime's I ever watched. Needless to say, it struck me as very complex. That said, I think a live action film based on Ghost in the Shell could be amazing if done right. I'm looking forward to this and it seems to be in good hands.

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Comments/Responses

exfan • Jan 22, 2007, 01:59am •

that s the point ! if done rigth ! However I m afraid it will look like Avalon or even worst aeon flux

manjisan • Jan 22, 2007, 06:43am •

Aeon Flux wasn't that bad, not great, but it sure wasn't Ultraviolet (one of the few I have actually timechecked at least ten times wondering when this trainwreck was going to end). I for one am excited for a live action version of Ghost. The manga and anime both ruled (although the manga is a lot deeper but hey, you can get but so much of a 300 page plus graphic novel into a two hour anime) and has a lot of promise. Looks like HWood is moving into the anime/manga world for more ideas; Cameron with Battle Angel Alita & Del Toro and his failed attempts to adapt Domu by Katsuhiro Otomo. I wonder if Akira will get the live action treatment? If it does, I say trilogy or quadrilogy. ;-)

popa • Jan 22, 2007, 08:54am •

In principle this is very good news. The problem is Ghost in the Shell works because it's a very idea driven, intelligent concept. This means the producers either have to accept a smaller audience or dumb it down. It would be a shame to turn this very cerebral series into a movie about sexy babes wearing latex who have cool moves.

scifiwriter • Jan 22, 2007, 09:52am •

This was already made into a live-action film. It was called "The Matrix."

godsonfilm • Jan 22, 2007, 10:02am •

Akira is already being made into a live action feature. When is the only question... its in Development Hell. I am not too sure why they are selecting so many similar stories from the Anime arena... There are plenty of anime without cyborgs... We don't need Battle Angel and Ghost in the Shell. But, perhaps Cowboy Bebop (Serenity) or something dark like Blue Gender!

20105 • Jan 22, 2007, 10:34am •

-Manjisan, Del Toro wanted to adapt "DOMU"?! About time! Otomo is one of my all-time favorites. I have wanted to do this one myself. I think it would make a creepy movie. However, Del Toro ain't the man for the job.

-"COWBOY BEBOP" is great the way it is. Give me more of it!!!

kaybar • Jan 22, 2007, 10:37am •

i agree with popa: this movie, if staying true to the original source material (anime film or manga) will only really appeal to a niche audience unless they reduce it to the sexy cyborg assassin taking on tremendous odds. If they could take the animated film, give it the futuristic tone with the ambient environments... it would make a fantastic film. But only if it still conveyed the complexities of the self and identity that made GitS so philosophical. The shoot-em-up CGI potential of this movie is obvious, lets just hope they don't forsake the former for the latter.

kaybar • Jan 22, 2007, 10:39am •

and yea 20105 COWBOY BEBOP is probably my all-time favorite anime series, i don't want anyone trying to make that a live action film until i get a crack at it!

Boombatty • Jan 22, 2007, 10:48am •

Boombatty's take: KJ is definitely mediocre.
And I ain't talkin' anime people.

manjisan • Jan 22, 2007, 11:05am •

20105, yeah he sure did want to adapt it. I found this out after I had written 20 pages+ of a pseudo-adaptation and decided to find out if it was being done & that was when I found out Del Toro was in deliberations with Otomo's lawyers for almost five years and then just gave up trying. I am still going to write my little homage to Domu but will change things drastically so as not to invoke the rage of such a masterful artist as Otomo. I even dug Roujin Z mostly because of the departure from normal mecha animes. And yes, Cowboy Bebop will always be on my top 5 list for best animes of all time.

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