The animated movie on which this is based was probably the second most influential one out of Japan next to Akira. I really hope they don't screw it up.
Scarlett always interests me.
Disappointed about them picking Scarlett for this role...
Rinku Kikuchi would have been perfect but hey, need a star to bring the people in.
For my money Scarlett is about as exotic and captivating as any actress out there
JackD201 said:Rinku Kikuchi would have been perfect but hey, need a star to bring the people in.
Me, for that very important role, and for all the hardcore fans, I'm with Jack. :b
? Rinko Kikuchi
In principle, I agree with you both.
But as Jack alludes to, there's a very simple reason Ms. Johansson got the role.
A friend of mine works in development for Studio Canal. Every year, as well as reading (and rejecting) hundreds of scripts, her job involves packaging films together to sell to overseas distributors. Here's how it works:
She turns up at an international festival with a catalogue of films Studio Canal is producing. She'll then attempt to sell the rights to the films to overseas distributors ahead of the film's release. In the catalogue, each film is given a title, a brief description of the film's premise, with (usually) two names: The director; and the star.
This is before a single frame is shot. In some cases, it's before the screenplay is even written.
Whatever money is made from the overseas distribution rights then is put into a development budget so the film can begin preproduction in earnest. Location scouting, contracts for crew, casting, and writing (and re-writing and re-re-writing) are pulled from that budget. Studio Canal will then look to partner with other production companies to finance the film's production/post-production, if indeed, the film even gets that far.
All of this is completely contingent on three things: A title, a premise, and a star. The star may even only be loosely "attached". The director may yet to have been decided upon.
But without the star, the film's very likely not to proceed. It's part of the reason A-list actors and actresses can command the fees they do, because they know their name being attached to any film is often leveraged to get it made in the first place.
It's a crazy world, but it's possible we have Scarlet Johansson to thank for a live action remake of Ghost in the Shell even existing, to say nothing of whether the film's any good. Or not.
853guy
Fascinating. Thanks.
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