New Ghost In The Shell Movie Trailer Reveals Cyborg Villain Kuze

Following the short Super Bowl teaser for the upcoming anime adaptation Ghost in the Shell, a full trailer has arrived. It provides more plot details than previous trailers, and gives us a first look at the villainous Kuze. Check it out below:

Ghost in the Shell stars Scarlett Johansson as the cyborg cop Major, who leads a futuristic anti-terrorist taskforce known as Section 9. It also features Game of Thrones' Pilou Asbæk as the Major's partner Batou, plus Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, and Michael Pitt.

The movie has been the subject of some controversy due to the casting of Johansson as the lead character, leading to accusations that the filmmakers were "whitewashing" a role that was Japanese in the original manga and anime. In a recent interview, Johansson addressed this criticism.

"I certainly would never presume to play another race of a person," she said. "Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive.

"Also, having a franchise with a female protagonist driving it is such a rare opportunity. Certainly, I feel the enormous pressure of that--the weight of such a big property on my shoulders."

Ghost in the Shell was one of the key anime films to break through to a western audience in the '90s. It was based on Masamune Shirow's manga, and was followed by three more movies, plus a number of video games.

Ghost in the Shell hits theaters on March 31, 2017.