Ghost in the Shell Movie Casts Wolverine Actress

No word yet on who she'll play.

By Nicole Carpenter

Rila Fukushima—of The Wolverine and Arrow—will reportedly join Scarlett Johansson in DreamWorks Pictures' Ghost in the Shell.

The Hollywood Reporter says the Japanese actress has joined the cast, but has no details regarding her specific role. The live-action adaptation of the popular manga centers on Johansson's special ops cyborg character, "the Major," who leads an elite task force called Section 9.

Rila Fukushima in The Wolverine

Johansson and Fukushima will star alongside Takeshi Kitano (Battle Royale), who plays the Major's boss Daisuke Aramaki. Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones) and Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire) also star in the film.

Fukushima is best known for playing Yukio in 2013's The Wolverine, and for her role as Katana on The CW's Arrow.

Ghost in the Shell has faced criticism for "whitewashing" the role of Major Motoko Kusangi, who is originally of Japanese descent. Backlash increased when it was revealed Paramount and DreamWorks had reportedly commissioned visual effects tests to alter Johansson's appearance, making the white actress appear "more Asian."

Ghost in the Shell is expected to hit theaters on March 31, 2017.

Nicole is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter.

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