Rila Fukushima Cast in Supporting Ghost in the Shell Role and I Just…
Perhaps some Ghost in the Shell news that won’t make you “ugh?” Nah. While this is great news for Rila Fukushima, this project is still not a great idea with Scarlett Johansson in the lead role.
You may recognize Japanese actor Fukushima from her co-starring role as Yukio in The Wolverine opposite Hugh Jackman but she also recently took a spin on the DC side of things playing Katana on The CW’s Arrow. She’s a great actress and proven badass and seeing this latest news just makes me wonder why they didn’t cast her as the lead in Ghost in the Shell.
The Hollywood Reporter doesn’t say who she’ll play but writes:
Snow White and the Huntsman helmer Rupert Sanders will direct the feature from a script written by Jonathan Herman and Jamie Moss.
Ghost in the Shell, which will be distributed by Paramount, was widely accused of whitewashing after Johansson and other white actors were cast as the traditionally Japanese characters.
The Tokyo-born Fukushima joins a cast that also includes Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche and Takeshi Kitano.
Ghost in the Shell Role is currently filming in New Zealand with Johansson playing Kusanagi. It’s set for a March 31, 2017 release.
[…] yes, very excited to see Katana on the big screen even though Rilo Fukushima did a great job playing her on Arrow. Then it was Margot Robbie’s turn to talk about Harley Quinn and it seemed she and director […]
I’m really curious to see how this movie turns out, but I don’t know if I wanna give them my money. :/
This seems kinda like a bad idea if you’re going for damage mitigation. Draws more attention to Johansson.
I really like Rila Fukushima and would love to see her in more movies (honestly, I’d love her Wolverine character to get her own spinoff movie). Just wish it wasn’t this one… or ya know, they gave her the lead instead of Scarlett.
She ABSOLUTELY should have gotten the lead instead of Scarlett. She’s perfect for Motoko. Alas…
Overly optimistic theory: She’s also playing the Major and Johansson is actually playing a puppet body that she’s using to go undercover. :D
The deft handling required for this is something I’m not sure the creative team is capable of.
Yeah, like I said overly optimistic. : /
I think it’s something that could really work. They get to put an established big name in the role while also not whitewashing the character and they could do some really fun stuff with characters interacting with both the Major and the undercover Major and having no idea they’re being played.
…but you’d have to pull it off really well and take care not to confuse a large chunk of the audience or make things overly complicated and no, I’m not sure they’re capable of it either.
It’s a nice thought though.