Disney Moves ‘Ghost In The Shell’ Up Two Weeks

Walt Disney Pictures has moved up the release of DreamWorks’ feature adaptation of Japanese manga comic Ghost In The Shell from Easter weekend — April 14, 2017 — to March 31, 2017. The pic will be released in 3D. The film, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Scarlett Johansson will go up against Sony’s untitled Smurfs animation film.

Created by Masamune Shirow, Ghost In The Shell was first published in 1989 by Kodansha, one of the largest publishing companies in Japan. It went on to generate two additional manga editions, three anime film adaptations, an anime TV series and three video games. DreamWorks released the second anime film. Ghost In The Shell follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime.

Deadline overheard that Johansson was offered $10M for the lead in Ghost In The Shell, given her success at the B.O. as Black Widow in the Marvel canon as well as last summer’s hit Lucy. Johansson took over after Margot Robbie left negotiations to join Warner Bros’ Suicide Squad.