Some ready amazing news hit the web tonight as it was announced that DreamWorks has acquired rights to the Japanese manga Ghost in the Shell with plans to adapt the futuristic police thriller as a 3-D live-action feature! The kicker of the story is that the deal was sealed because of Steven Spielberg's passion for the original. Read on for the skinny.
The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime.
Created by Masamune Shirow, "Ghost in the Shell" was first published in 1989. It went on to generate two additional manga editions, three anime film adaptations, an anime TV series and three videogames. The second anime film, "Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence," was released in the U.S. by DreamWorks in 2004.
Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul of Seaside Entertainment are attached to produce and brought the project to the studio. Jamie Moss has been tapped to pen the adaptation.
Universal and Sony were also chasing "Ghost in the Shell," but Steven Spielberg took personal interest in the property and made it happen at DreamWorks.
" 'Ghost in the Shell' is one of my favorite stories," Spielberg said. "It's a genre that has arrived, and we enthusiastically welcome it to DreamWorks."
DreamWorks prexy of production Adam Goodman said "Ghost in the Shell" is a property "that epitomizes 3-D live-action motion picture possibilities."
Avi Arad is at the forefront of comicbook-based material, having produced the three "Spider-Man" films, the three "X-Men" movies, the two "Fantastic Four" picss and the upcoming "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk."
Moss' writing credits include "Street Kings," which bowed Friday, and "Last Man Home," in development at Universal.
With James Cameron working on the Battle Angel Alita adaptation and Akira (with Leonardo DiCaprio) on the way it'll be interesting to see how these movies work out. I can't help but wonder why people feel there's a need to adapt such amazing animated features which are brilliant precisely because they are animated... Don't get me wrong, I am excited, but wouldn't the money involved be better spent on something more original?
Despite that he's done a lot of wrong, Spielberg knows how to make an epic fucking movie. I'm very interested. Next someone's gonna pick up Ninja Scroll, betcha anything.
NO TOM CRUISE!!!!!
I don't like Spielberg doing this movie, he has no knowledge what so ever to do a movie like this with the whole japanese cyberpunk filosophy.... I love this movie, and I love movies like Tetsuo Bodyhammer and all, but I'm afraid that he's gonna miss the ball on this one
i'm a bit on the fence with this one.even though Steven Spielberg is a great director,American remakes of Asian films have been a bit dodgy to say the least. anime works best as anime.they don't really translate well to live action movies. "CRYING FREEMAN". "FIST OF THE NORTH STAR" anyone??
I'm interested to see what's going to happen. On one hand: "Saving Private Ryan"... on the other hand: "Hook".
At least Lucas doesn't have it...
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The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime.
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