Scarlett Johansson Nude In ‘Ghost In The Shell’? Project 2501 Trailer Video Gives A Release Date Sneak Peak [Photos]

Will the live action Ghost In The Shell movie feature Scarlett Johansson nude throughout many of the action scenes? Any fan of the original anime and manga knows that the main character Major Motoko Kusanagi spends a substantial amount of screen time naked, and the opening scene features so much female cyborg nudity that many movie goers may be left gaping if Johansson reenacts the scene faithfully.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, it’s been reported that Margot Robbie of Wolf Of Wall Street fame originally was going to be the leading lady in Ghost In The Shell, but then she dropped out for a still unknown reason. Presumably, Robbie would have been okay with Ghost In The Shell’s nudity requirements, but perhaps she had second thoughts of baring more skin since Margot did admit she lied to her entire family about her full frontal nude scene in Wolf Of Wall Street. Whatever the case may be, Margot Robbie will be in Suicide Squad, which features notable characters like Harley Quinn.

The character of Motoko Kusanagi is a police officer whose body is entirely cyborg, and she wrestles with the possibility that her entire life is a lie manufactured to make her feel real. Much of the story is focused on the philosophical implications of cyborg technology and where our humanity stems from. As even the title art points out, “when altering one’s mind becomes as easy as programming a computer, what does it mean be human?”

Of course, the lasting impression many might leave with is the sexuality of this cyborg technology. Major Kusanagi has been fully prosthetic since a young age, although she specifically chooses to have her artificial body be both sexually and aesthetically idealized. In one version of the story, the partner character named Batou asks the Major why she sticks with the “female-model body” instead of switching to a male chassis, which supposedly has increased physical power. Instead of answering, the Major hacks Batou and has him cyber-punch his own face. Although the character never answers the question over her body choices, in the end, the audience seems to see every single angle of that body.

In general, the Major’s body tends to appear like a perfectly modeled Barbie doll. Unlike the doll, the the breasts are fully detailed for no apparent functional reason. The 1995 anime version of Ghost In The Shell opens with Kusanagi naked except for knee-high white boots, a waist sling, a hip holster, and weapons. The entire action scene takes place entirely in the nude, although some fans argue she might be wearing the most form-fitting bodysuit ever seen.

During the following credits sequence, audiences are shown the creation of this cyborg body, which includes a lot of full frontal nudity. Even if the live action Ghost In the Shell movie recreates the direction of Mamoru Oshii exactly, it’s unlikely we’ll get an eyeful of Scarlett Johansson’s private parts. The artificial body apparently lacks genitalia and essentially appears like a Barbie doll in that regard.

Does this mean Ghost In The Shell requires the script to have Scarlett Johansson naked for many minutes at a time? It really depends on where the source material is pulled from for the final script. For example, Shirow Masamune’s original manga had a very graphic group sex scene featuring multiple women including the Major. According to GhostintheShell.wikia, the author admitted, “I drew an all-girl orgy because I didn’t want to draw some guy’s butt.” But if script writer Bill Wheeler chooses to draw inspiration from 2002’s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the portrayal of Johansson is likely to be much more conservative.

The movie could also choose to go its own direction. After all, the main protagonist is Japanese, Batou is Japanese, and Chief Daisuke Aramaki is Japanese. Yet, so far, the cast seems to be all non-Japanese. Even the setting for the series, New Port City, could end up being changed. Fans may cry foul if it’s no longer Japan, but since when did Hollywood allow the original content to dictate setting, ethnicity or direction?

Even though no one knows for sure the concepts that director Rupert Sanders will go with the Ghost In the Shell movie, the Project 2501 trailer video already gives us a taste of what the Ghost In The Shell shoot may entail for Scarlett Johansson.

The Project 2501 photos came about because graphic designer Ash Thorp assembled a team of 30 artists whose experience includes major movies like Amazing Spiderman 2.

“I originally wanted this to be just a fun side project to create with some friends on my free time over a time span of a month, if that,” Thorp tells The Verge. “But as we opened up the opportunities it got bigger and more complicated as the team grew.”

These artists apparently will not be involved with the live action Ghost In the Shell movie featuring Johansson, but the photos do give us an idea of what could be expected. Since The Inquisitr is a family-friendly website none of the nude photos were included, so if you visit Thorp’s website, be aware that some images contain nudity.

Do you think the Ghost In The Shell movie should feature Scarlett Johansson nude or do you think it’s better to focus on the philosophical implications of cyborg technology instead of the actress’ body?