Do you honestly think that they will change everything else, but somehow consciously make a concerted effort to preserve the central theme of GitS, What Measure Is a Non-Human? Do you honestly think that that is a realistic possibility?

Sure, there's no reason to think differently.

I guess you're much more idealistic than I am when it comes to movies made by major Hollywood studios...

Not that I have any idea how they're going to handle the story, but I can assume with some certainty that, being a Hollywood production, it will have some sex scene somewhere, and that it will involve Kusanagi. If/when I watch the movie and that does happen, I know I will want to forget the movie exists as I think it would be a rather major fuck-up.

I'm picturing a Will Smith ala I robot level of bullshit. What made me love GITS will make me hate this.

Just as shameless and soulless as any hollywood (uncapitalized because fuck them) remake.

Its just going to be lame.
The Dollars films were made with the utmost style by people with a lot of heart and that made for a great take on the stories they were based on.

None of those ingredients are present here.
Or no one for that matter. You don't need to make a live action version when you did the animated one right the first time. At best it can only be inferior.

At least it can't ruin the quality of the source material.

Rinko Kikuchi.

I remember hearing about Hollywood's plans for the live-action Akira remake. Instead of setting it in Neo-Tokyo it was supposed to be "Neo-New York", or "Neo-Manhattan".

I believe the still-in-production Netflix Death Note live-action remake will also be set in New York too.

I thought she had a rocking body, until I saw Under the Skin (2013)
Well, not anymore.

She popped out a kid and is in her 30s so obviously her good look days are gone.

More importantly, I don't see how she can do those highly complex martial art fight scenes that Motoko Kusanagi does in anime without the help of a stunt double.

If you look carefully in Iron Man, Avengers and Captain America, all of her fight scenes are done by a stunt double.

More disappointed that they did not cast Ron Perlman as Batou, that is almost perfect casting since he looks like the guy.

I'w awaiting for him to be re-cast as Hellboy, in IMHO the best Super Hero films...
Ever...

I'd prefer her a lot more to Scarlett Johansson, that's for sure.
That would be a perfect casting choice.

Not that I ever really notice such things, as I'm easily amazed by the action and shiny effects, but that'd mean that about 80% of the time Kusanagi is on screen would be with a double. Provided the film is fairly accurate to the source material.

As the majority of the online media outlets are busy focusing on Scarlett Johansson's casting, I thought I would share some information on the rest of the cast, crew and the film's plot according to the official press release.

THE CAST

Beat Takeshi Kitano as Daisuke Aramaki
Pilou Asbæk as Batou
Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet
Michael Pitt as Kuze
Kaori Momoi as [unknown].

The members of Section 9 are played by:

Ng Chin Han
Danusia Samal
Lasarus Ratuere
Yutaka Izumihara
Tawanda Manyimo

THE CREW

A Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures Production.

Directed by Rupert Sanders (“SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN”).

Produced by Avi Arad (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2,” “IRON MAN”), Ari Arad (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”), and Steven Paul (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”).

Executive producers Michael Costigan (“PROMETHEUS”), Tetsu Fujimura (“TEKKEN”), Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Production I.G) and Jeffrey Silver (“EDGE OF TOMORROW,” “300”).

Cinematographer Jess Hall (“THE SPECTACULAR NOW”), Editor Neil Smith (“SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN”), Production Designer Jan Roelfs (“FAST & FURIOUS 6”), and Costume Designers Kurt Swanson and Bart Mueller (“THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PARTS 1& 2”).

THE PLOT

“GHOST IN THE SHELL” follows the 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.

Didn't they already made a movie about that, I think it was called The Matrix and it had a complete sexgender change.