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You saw it here first, folks… unless you were in Tokyo. Thanks to a special event over there, the first full GHOST IN THE SHELL trailer has now been released by Paramount Pictures for the whole world to enjoy, along with the theatrical poster. Actress Scarlett Johansson and actor Takeshi Kitano, along with director Rupert Sanders shared the first look at the trailer with fans at an epic special event, opening with Taiko drummers, including the legendary anime film composer Kenji Kawai, the event held at TABLOID began with a screening of never-before-seen footage from the film. Attendees were given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the costumes and props from the film, as well as an opportunity to capture their experience in a film-centric experiential photo booth – “Becoming the Major.” The exciting show concluded with Johansson, Kitano, and Sanders debuting the film’s global trailer, triggering its worldwide launch. GHOST IN THE SHELL is based on the now-classic Anime film of the same name, though the live action version has come under fire a bit with the casting of a white American (Johansson) in the lead. I’m not sure how to feel about it, as there’s certainly arguments to be made for Asian actors not getting a chance to play a role made famous by Asian filmmakers and creators, but the studio also knows this is going to cost a LOT of money, and they need to be able to sell it to American audiences. The trailer, which you can watch below, does look fairly cool, but it’s not yet blowing me away like I’d hoped. We’ll see what the end result delivers in March, but tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “GHOST IN THE SHELL” follows Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
I think the trailer looks “fantastic,” but it really does look like their interpretation is wildly divergent from the basic premise & characters so many fans love. The fact they have changed the story to one where she was taken & *turned* into the Major, losing who she was, is a sign of big changes I am likely to abhor. Benefit of the doubt till I see it, which I *definitely* will.