Ghost In The Shell Begins Production

While she's still in the thick of her publicity tour for Captain America: Winter Soldier, Scarlett Johansson's next big genre project is getting underway.

Today, Paramount Pictures announced that The Ghost in the Shell has started filming, providing fans with their first look at the anticipated adaptation.

The film is based onShirowMasamune's cyberpunkmanga of the same name.

Ghost in the Shell follows Section 9, a branch of the Japanese National Public Safety Comission that combat cybercrime and cyberterrorism. The team's field leader is Commander Motoko Kusanagi. While almost all of the members of Section 9 have cybernetic implants, Kusanagi has replaced her entire original body with one that is fully artificial.

The film and manga, which has also been adapted into anime, deals with existential questions of what it means to be human in a world that is increasingly dependent on technology. It also has insane cyborg vs. robot action scenes.

Margot Robbie was reportedly being eyed for the role originally, but commitments toSuicide Squad are said to have taken her out of the running.

With Ghost in the Shell, Johansson is expanding her visibility as an action star, which began with her role as Marvel Studio's Black Widow, and was taken further with last year's Lucy.

Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders has signed on to direct Ghost in the Shell. The film also stars Beat Takeshi Kitano as Daisuke Aramaki, Juliette Binoche as Dr. Ouelet, Michael Pitt as Kuze, Pilou Asbæk as Batou, and Kaori Momoi.