In a surprising turn of events, the big-screen adaptation of manga/anime series Ghost In The Shell (starring white person Scarlett Johansson and white person Michael Pitt) has just hired another Japanese actor, perhaps indicating that the big casting controversy that has hung over this project for years has actually made a difference.
In March, DreamWorks and Paramount hired iconic Japanese actor, director, author, comedian, and screenwriter Beat Takeshi to play Daisuke Aramaki, the head of Johansson’s special-ops team. Now, The Hollywood Reporter says that Rila Fukushima (Yukio in The Wolverine and Katana on Arrow) has joined the film as well, though the story doesn’t say who she’ll be playing. Ghost In The Shell traditionally only has the one main female character, so it’s hard to guess who Fukushima will be playing and how important she’ll be to the plot, but introducing more diversity to this movie is probably a good idea either way.
Ghost In The Shell is being directed by Snow White And The Huntsman’s Rupert Sanders, and it’s set to be released next year.