Forum - View topicNEWS: Production I.G. Enters Negotiations for Live-Action Ghost In The Shell
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bglassbrook
 Posts: 1243 Location: Gaithersburg, MD |
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We could do a lot worse than the first Matrix movie ... like the second or third (or Uwe.) Like most, I feel this could be a great project, but have greater trepidations on what it will look like. In the end, it should turn out fine (possibly even great) given four conditions: (1) They go with a big budget to do it right, and don't worry about making it back in ticket sales (opening or any other weekend.) (2) IG, Kodansha, and Shirow Masamune have major creativive control (3) IG/Ko/SM have the power to pull the plug at ANY point and finally (4) IG/Ko/SM have the guts to pull the plug at ANY point. .. if any and all of my demands are not met, I hope we never see this puppy a-live-action. |
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DigitalGirl
Posts: 7 |
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I'm not one for legal knowledge, but didn't technically Shirow Masamune sign the rights to Production IG? So really, since this is Production IG's project, even if Masamune disagreed he has no legal control over the project. But again, I'm not very knoweldgeble when it comes to Rights. Your first condition is maybe asking the impossible, but I suppose if the studio wasn't sure it'd be a hit they'd screen it in select cities. Even then, I don't think any company is risking pouring in the millions for just a limited release. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Quick, everyone start bitching nonstop ad nauseum about a project that has no greenlight!
We have to make sure everyone knows we're angry hateful nerds who would rather dump all over something that hasn't taken shape yet, assume it's going to be awful even though there haven't been any big-budget anime adaptations to even see the light of day yet, oh, and also we need to toss out a bunch of cliched "we hate hollywood!" comments to make sure they get the point. |
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AnimeMajor
Posts: 13 |
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They don't HAVE to resemble the part. You're MISSING the POINT. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn managed to add substance to the heart and soul of Major Motko Kusanagi. Of COURSE she doesn't look like her - in fact, Ms. McGlynn is beautiful in person and has the graciousness and kindness of one of the best people you could ever meet. But that isn't the point, either. As DigitalGirl pointed out in her post, (THANK YOU DIGITALGIRL!) Mim Woods sounded robotic when she voiced The Major and along came Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, the character suddenly came to life in ways that people could relate to, and it made the series that much more enjoyable. Would YOU actually WANT to watch someone whose voice grates on you every time they have a line to say, or would you be more interested in the outfits the character is wearing?! Personlly, I'd go with a beautiful meld of voice suitability and actual character portrayal. But the voice is key. There are a lot of animes that are voiced by subpar actors that make watching it intolerable and there are a lot of animes where certain characters look great, have great voices, and you actually WANT to watch MORE so you can hear the person speak and enjoy both the visual and audio aspects. Humans depend on visual AND audio inputs into their senses (no pun intended) in order to enjoy something or not enjoy something. And whether Mary Elizabeth McGlynn looks like Motoko or not is IRRELEVANT. She can voice the character like no one else can, and there's no one in Hollywood that could even come close with voice and emotion and character. Sorry, but this, IMHO, is easy to understand fact. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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So in other words if whatever film studio agrees to finance this thing decides to commit total financial suicide and not protect themselves legally, THEN and only then will this thing work. Might I remind you people that Production IG managed to make GitS2 a total lugubrious, pretentious nightmare that wasn't a hit with audiences anywhere. I'd rather have some new talent - even top-quality American talent, people familiar with making solid sci-fi action movies that can make sincere but reasonable fans happy (IE not the "ARGH HOLLYWOOD anything that doesn't meet my ridiculous demands is a total piece of crap!!" people) and also connect with an audience wide enough to make a potentially very expensive and effects-laden film financially viable, and perhaps lay the groundwork for sequels. The Japanese perspective on what would make an accessible, fun sci-fi action movie that would actually appeal to both fans and regular audiences is not the be-all end-all approach. Some of you people need some common sense and a little perspective. |
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DigitalGirl
Posts: 7 |
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Sorry, I thought this was a forum, not FOX news 
I hear what you're saying, and despite Hollywood's knack for actually pretty good comic book adaptations, the percentage of bad Video Game Adaptations as compared to good ones is so high that I think that's what's giving most of us a hard time believing they could handle a movie version of many anime series. If they're basing this film off of the first two movies, I think it has a high chance of being decent. I've never been a fan of cramming seasons worth of character development and plot into two hours. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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It doesn't hurt that the games they tend to adapt have really paper-thin premises to begin with. Yes, game adaptations mostly suck, but the source material ain't exactly Shakespeare. Also this thinking that Hollywood is one big hive brain is silly. I wouldn't worry about this film until they actually announce a creative team for it - once you know who's working on it, THEN you can speculate about the potential quality of the output. As of right now we know nothing and assuming that this is going to be exactly like a video game adaptation based on some vague, lazy cynicism you have about "Hollywood" is... well, annoying and really typical, I guess. |
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DigitalGirl
Posts: 7 |
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Perhaps, but then couldn't it also be argued that, in this case of paper-thin plot, the creative team should've then added something to it? Let's toss out the fact that hardcore fans would complain even if they never saw the movie. Let's take Resident Evil, a great game, but as you said, "ain't exactly Shakespeare". The creative team gave it little plot and then made it mostly about blowing everything up. See the sequel for 98% explosion and 2% other stuff. I won't argue that either was a good or bad movie. The fact is, it sold, and sold relatively well. What reason do we have to believe that someone wouldn't say "Oh, look, we can throw in some techno jargin there, 80 explosions there, and a lead with huge breasts and it'll be good"? Other examples: BloodRayne, Tomb Raider I think the fear that producers and writers will push for style and no substance is a valid fear. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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I thought the first Resident Evil was a pretty decent action flick, for what it was. Again, not Shakespeare. Why is it the duty of someone adapting particularly shallow, somewhat generic material to elevate it to some higher standard? What in the world are you expecting here? They're also pandering to the audience, which they think is mostly idiot teenagers. They're wrong on that one - plenty of adults play video games - but they're not going to make a Resident Evil movie that's better than your standard sci-fi shoot 'em up. Expecting more is foolish. And I have some unfortunate news for you: while there are messages in Ghost in the Shell, ponderous themes about humanity and technology and whatnot, it is largely an incredibly stylish action movie. If they make something even remotely similar, then it'll retain those themes and also be a cool action movie. I mean, Ghost in the Shell is good and all but it's not the deepest thing ever written. |
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DKL
 Posts: 1945 Location: California, USA |
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Better than watching Resident Evil though is playing RE 4 for the PS2 or the GC given that it's one of the most ballin' things ever.
Uh... yeah... this. Ummm... I'm pretty sure that no one here or at AoD has mentioned it, but I'm actually kinda hoping that they'd consider getting Oshii to do this... I mean, he has done live-action stuff (though, I've only really seen Avalon, but could barely watch since it sort of felt like his visual style was a little clumsy when not in the controlled atmosphere of animation... I mean... this is what I remember feeling like anyway). I mean... I did really enjoy the pretentious-ness that was GITS2 anyway, so why not (but yeah... unified ideas for the win!)? But of course, the producers would PROBABLY not let him do whatever (given that... well, the thing HAS to make money and reach a broader audience), so it'll just be a mess... But still... it'd be kinda neat (but in no way a practical idea). But either way... I'll be following this... and unlike the Monster live-action adaptation, this might actually get off the ground given that the... uhh... franchise... has a pretty big hardcore following. |
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DigitalGirl
Posts: 7 |
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You even said it yourself that a mistake as dumb as thinking that Resident Evil was just playing by teenagers with a 10 o'clock Curfew was made by the Film Team. Are we to believe that a fundamental flaw like this also couldn't be made with Ghost in the Shell? The article claims that many people involved in the American film industry are fans of the movies. But then you said,
I don't think anyone is worried that a live action film wouldn't have action, but that it'll lose a lot of the philosophy and character that went hand in hand with this franchise. |
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Amibite
Posts: 196 |
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As I said before, their nationality means nothing when they essentially look like Americans. Naruto's a blonde haired kid with Caucasian features. He looks nothing like a Japanese person, and if they ever made a live-action Naruto movie, the best bet would be to cast a Caucasian as him. Most Anime characters don't look Asian to begin with, so I fail to see why casting Caucasians would be "destroying elements" when anime uses that specific style so the characters don't look asian.
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mufurc
 Posts: 612 |
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Except for the famous falling letters (or whatever, I'm not familiar with the terminology) and some of the technology, see neck plugs, etc.
They look Caucasian (kind of). Not "American". And as for the characters not looking Asian, it doesn't matter in anime because in anime no-one expects them to look Asian. But in a live-action adaptation it'd be rather stupid if obviously Caucasian people played members of a secret Japanese elite commando, named Motoko, Togusa, Aramaki, etc., in a story that takes place in Japan. Anyway, I wouldn't be disappointed if nothing came out of this. The idea is okay - in fact, GITS:SAC would make a really great live-action series (as long as they exclude the poor tachikoma, as they require too much CG to look at least okay in a "real" environment), or even a movie, but it won't ever get the budget needed to make it look and "feel" alright, neither as a series nor as a movie. And I don't see what's the point in making it from a small budget. Last edited by mufurc on Fri Jan 19, 2007 6:43 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Danno19
Posts: 51 |
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Sweet, another movie that takes attention away from its animated roots. Hurray!
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Shi-ne
 Posts: 77 Location: Uh? |
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My thoughts exactly. There already is a "Ghost In The Shell" movie, but I guess it's not considered legit because...*gasp*..it's anime. If they go through with this, they shouldn't dumb it down; give Americans the benefit of the doubt. They may actually enjoy it. And I agree with whoever said Ridley Scott. He'll turn this into a masterpiece like he did with BladeRunner. As for Michael Bay directing Transformers, It's not as if Transformers is something that gives us a deep sense of wonder. Michael Bay is just right for Transformers. |
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