'Ghost In The Shell': Get Another Look At Scarlett Johansson As The Major

Marvel may be reluctant to give Scarlett Johansson her own superhero movie, but everyone else in town seems determined to make her the next big action star. Next year sees her kicking high-tech ass in Ghost in the Shell, Rupert Sanders' adaptation of the iconic Japanese manga. Today, a new Ghost in the Shell image offers a new look at her character, the Major, while Sanders promises his movie won't be "s***." Good to know, I guess?

Check out the new Ghost in the Shell image below. 

Look, I'll be straight with you: this is not an especially exciting Ghost in the Shell image. And Johansson and Sanders don't really have a lot to say about the movie that you haven't already heard. But it's a slow news day, so here we are. First, here's the photo, which confirms that Johansson can really rock a jet-black bob.

Ghost in the Shell is set in a futuristic world where cybernetic technology has made it possible to copy one's consciousness into an entirely new body — and Johansson's character, the Major, is one of the souls who's done just that. She's a cyborg who leads an elite force called Section 9, which has been tasked with stopping a dangerous criminal from wiping out all of Hanka Robotics' incredible scientific advancements. The Major the latest in a long line of not-quite-human roles for Johansson, as she noted to Empire. "I've been a person without a body [in Her], now I'm a mind in a synthetic body," she said. "Eventually I'll go back to playing a body and brain together."

For those familiar with the source material, producer Avi Arad recently revealed that the main storyline of the Ghost in the Shell movie is inspired by "Affection," an episode from the 2nd GIG season of the Ghost in the Shell anime series. It digs into the Major's past through a mysterious character known as Kuze, who'll be played by Michael Pitt in the film. However, the movie will also draw in story and design elements from all over the franchise.

What it definitely won't do, according to Sanders, is suck. "This isn't the s*** Hollywood version" of the franchise, he told Empire. Of course, he kind of has to say that. And I'd argue that the poorly thought out decision to whitewash the main role is kind of a "s*** Hollywood" decision to begin with. Still, it looks like we can at least expect some striking imagery and a great score.

Ghost in the Shell is in theaters March 31, 2017.