Ghosts in the Shell put Money in the Pocketbooks

Recently, the official word was finally given that famed animation studio Production IG had acquired the rights to shop around a live action version of Ghost in the Shell. Of course, this is only the very beginning of the process, as so many other projects have died on the long road to production (though James Cameron still tells us that he’s planning on making that Battle Angel live-action!). And, of course, this is only the beginning of the hype.

Live action adaptations have always been a popular way to milk more money out of an adoring fan base, and there are few animated films more popular than Ghost in the Shell, in the US. Additionally, how many films have we seen come out recently based around hot girls running around with guns and killing things? This makes the dreadful prospect of a mid-summer movie by some hack director depressingly likely, and speaking of live action adaptations, isn’t Michael Bay going to have some free time on his hands soon?

The GitS universe is an interesting setting, but none of the adaptations of the original manga have really been compelling. The closest match to it combination of action and existentialism has been the television series of the last few years. If that’s selling well in the US, then that’s just another good sign for Production IG.

I can see this going either of two ways. One, we bring back Milla Jovovich to reprise her role in a slightly higher budgeted version of Ultraviolet, where we replace the vampires with robots. Maybe they’ll bring in some “hackers”, to trace what’s happening over the “net”, since nothing says excitement like watching someone type at a computer. (I’d be all for live televised blogging – as long as the bloggers had to fight each others with chainsaws – now that’s reality TV!) Two, it’ll be a philosophy-heavy, talking-head filled movie version of the McLaughlin Group, where all the old political hacks were replaced by hot young people in tight black leather, much like the stunningly animated snooze-fast Ghost in the Shell 2: Innonence (directed by Mamoru Oiishi, the world’s most boring money-making director). Actually, if it’s going to be like that, I hope they bring in Richard Linklater – if he can butcher Philip K Dick (A Scanner Darkly), I’m fine with him butchering this.

—Teki

~ by teki on February 8, 2007.