Scarlett Johansson contemplates life in first Ghost in the Shell image

Earlier today, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures announced that production has officially started for their live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. To commemorate, they have released the first official image of Scarlett Johansson as the film’s protagonist, Motoko Kusanagi, which you can see in the gallery below.

The film, which is being directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman), is based on the seminal ’80s Ghost in the Shell manga, which itself spawned the 1995 anime film and more recent anime series spin-offs/reboots. It’s being shot in New Zealand with help from Weta Workshop (The Hobbit, Mad Max: Fury Road, etc.) to bring the fictional Niihama to life.

Ghost in the Shell will be released on March 31, 2017. You can read the full press release below.

The film, which is based on the famous Kodansha Comics manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, is produced by Avi Arad (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2,” “IRON MAN”), Ari Arad (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”), and Steven Paul (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”). Michael Costigan (“PROMETHEUS”), Tetsu Fujimura (“TEKKEN”), Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, whose animation studio Production I.G produced the Japanese “GHOST IN THE SHELL” film and television series, and Jeffrey Silver (“EDGE OF TOMORROW,” “300”) will executive produce.

Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “GHOST IN THE SHELL” follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.

“We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot ‘GHOST IN THE SHELL,’” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”