'Ghost in the Shell' Producer Defends Controversial Scarlett Johansson Casting

Hollywood's whitewashing epidemic became the center of attention once again when it was announced in April that Scarlett Johansson, a white actress, would portray Japanese cyborg policewoman in the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. Both critics and fans took turns condemning and upholding the controversial casting decision. Now, one of the movie's producers, Steven Paul, has come out to defend the decision and explain why the casting directors made the right choice with Johansson.

In a phone interview with Buzzfeed, Paul said he thinks audiences who are angered by the casting decision will change their minds once they see the movie. "They’re going to be very, very happy with it when they see what we’ve actually done with it, and I don’t think anybody’s going to be disappointed," Paul said.

Those who object to the casting decision uphold that the original Ghost in the Shell is set in Japan, but Paul perceives it as more of an international world. "Ghost in the Shell was a very international story, and it wasn’t just focused on Japanese; it was supposed to be an entire world," he said. "That’s why I say the international approach is, I think, the right approach to it." Paul noted that the cast of the upcoming movie has Japanese, Chinese, English, and American actors.

Fans have expressed concerns that the movie will stray too far from the original manga comic because it features non-Japanese actors. However, Paul assured doubters that they're doing the comic justice. "We’ve been very, very careful," he said. "Obviously, there’s some new imagination, as well. I mean, like anything, when you’re making a movie, you’ve gotta bring your own." The creators of the original comic, Shirow and Kodansha, have been involved in the making of the movie, too.

Paul also went on to discuss his casting plans for the reboot of the 1992 film Lone Wolf and Cub: The Final Conflict, adapted from the 1970s manga series. While we may see a few international actors in that film, Paul assures audiences that they can expect a primarily Japanese cast.