Deadline is reporting that Rupert Sanders will helm a live-action adaptation of Ghost of the Shell, an incredibly popular anime property. The project has been in development for a very long time and tonight, DreamWorks has chosen the Snow White and the Huntsman director to get their 3D film off the ground.
For those who aren’t familiar with the anime, you can check out the plot summary below:
Ghost in the Shell follows Major Motoko Kusanagi’s pursuit of the cyber-criminal The Puppeteer, who commits crimes by “ghost hacking”, or taking control of human minds. We learn that the Puppeteer is actually an autonomous artificial intelligence created by a government foreign affairs and counter-terrorism agency called Section 6. Kusangi’s body is largely bionic, and when she and the Puppeteer come together a unique synthesis takes place.
There’s no word yet on when Ghost in the Shell will shoot but now that a director is attached perhaps things can finally get going. Of course, Sanders has a busy schedule, with several projects in the works and no clear timetable of which one will be next. Still, snagging a director is certainly a step in the right direction for this long-gestating adaptation and hopefully it means that things will start to pick up.
While I myself may not be a fan of the property, I’m well aware of its massive fanbase and I know that there are a lot of people who have waited a long time for this.
Tell us, are you a fan of Ghost in the Shell? If so, are you happy to see Sanders signing on? Let us know in the comments section below.