Dreamworks is in the Shell
Variety reports that Dreamworks is revving up for the inevitable live action 3D adaptation of Shirow Masamune’s “Ghost in the Shell”. The Japanese comic book that turned into three animated films and a television series is the latest casualty in the expanding list of Japanese manga adaptations. Dreamworks has already picked up Laeta Kalogridis to write the film with no director attached at the moment. Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul are all producing with Seaside Entertainment a part of this feature.
Kalogridis is quite active in the film world, her most recent task being the writer and executive producer of Martin Scorsese’s latest film “Shutter Island”. Avi Arad is also attached to produce “Spider-Man 4″ which is still knee deep in pre-production. Dreamworks most recent films includes “Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen” and the upcoming Peter Jackson feature “The Lovely Bones”.
I’m completely against this live-action adaptation, especially since its Hollywood thats making it. Just take a look at “Speed Racer” and “Dragonball Evolution”, and even “Astoboy” was dumbed down. And they are gonna change things for the sake of Americanizing it just like Godzilla and ruin it. I expect to see the same thing done to Akira when Hollywood adapts it. If they do make a live-action film, let a Japanese studio or director make it. Either way anime is good because its animated.
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