New Ghost in the Shell animated film announced by Japanese studio
Hollywood's adaptation of Ghost in the Shell might have received a drubbing at the box office, but that hasn't stopped Japanese studio Production I.G from announcing a brand new anime based on the venerable franchise.
The studio announced Friday it's working on a new "animation project" based on the cyberpunk manga, but gave few other details.
It will be co-directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who directed the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex animated TV series that ran from 2002 to 2005, and Shinji Aramaki, best known for his work on anime such as Appleseed.
Based on Masamune Shirow's popular manga series from 1989-90, Ghost in the Shell has since expanded into a popular international franchise that spans comics, animated television shows and films, video games, action figures and more.
Hollywood's live-action crack at the franchise had a far less auspicious debut. It cost about $110 million US to make, but opened to an estimated $19 million US weekend at the domestic box office.
The project was heavily criticized for casting Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg who many argued should have been played by an Asian actress.
