‘Ghost in the Shell’ Adds ‘The Wolverine’ Star Rila Fukushima
That long-developing live-action remake of Ghost in the Shell has drawn plenty of ire for its primarily white cast, and reports that Paramount commissioned VFX tests to make Scarlett Johansson appear asian only made things worse. Sure, the film does have some asian cast members, but they’ve been largely relegated to supporting roles so far. Perhaps that will change with the addition of The Wolverine star Rila Fukushima — though it would be far more interesting if she were cast in the lead.
THR’s report of Fukushima’s casting is bittersweet: on the one hand, it’s good to see more asian actors joining the Ghost in the Shell remake; on the other hand, the Japanese actress would be great in Johansson’s role. Nothing against Johansson, who happens to be my favorite actress and will probably be fantastic in an otherwise questionable adaptation.
Details on Fukushima’s part in Ghost in the Shell are currently unknown, but given her talents, it’s hard to see how anyone would let them go to waste in an insignificant role. Fukushima is best known for her roles in The Wolverine and Arrow (as DC character Katana), both of which showcased her impressive sword skills.
Ghost in the Shell is based on the popular Japanese manga and stars Johansson as Kusanagi (yeah…), a cyborg cop working for the elite cyber-crime task force known as Section 9. Recent Game of Thrones addition Pilous Asbæk co-stars as the villainous Batou, with Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet and Michael Pitt as Kuze. Japanese star Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale) plays Daisuke Aramaki, the head of Section 9.
Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) is directing Ghost in the Shell from a screenplay by Jonathan Herman (Straight Outta Compton). The film hits theaters on April 14, 2017.