One of the most popular anime franchises in history appears set to get the Hollywood treatment. Daily Variety reports that DreamWorks has snagged rights to Masamune Shirow’s manga series and plans to make a stereoscopic 3-D, live-action movie. Steven Spielberg has been a big fan of the animated saga and fought to bring it to DreamWorks, which released the sequel Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence in the U.S. in 2004.
Directed by Mamoru Oshii, the 1995 animated version of Ghost in the Shell is set in the year 2029, when augmented humans live in virtual, online environments. In this world, law enforcement officers are able to download themselves into crime-busting mecha units and viral secret agents move freely about the net with virtually unlimited powers. The film was a major influence on the hit Matrix live-action franchise. The new version is being adapted by screenwriter Jamie Moss (Street Kings), and will be produced by former Marvel CEO Avi Arad and Seaside Ent. partner Steven Paul.
Following its publication in 1989, the original manga spawned several comic follow-ups, three anime pics, an animated televsion series and three video games. Co-produced by Manga and Bandai, along with Japanese animation house Production I.G., the TV series Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex began airing in the U.S. druing Cartoon Network’s late night Adult Swim block in 2004.
